Early last year, Ben joined the team after a career predominantly based in AFL strength and conditioning, formerly with Melbourne AFLW and VFL Casey demons. As a lover of all sports, Ben has embraced the opportunity to diversify his knowledge and assist a greater variety of athletes through his new role at the University.
“Every day is something different. I am meeting amazing athletes from all over Australia and overseas who are training hard to break through at the highest level. It is both inspiring and gratifying to assist them on their journeys”.
Ben knows firsthand what it is like to train and balance a university qualification. He graduated from Deakin University with an exercise science degree and then went on to complete his Masters of Strength and Conditioning at Edith Cown University in Perth.
As head of S&C Ben works closely with our Elite Athlete Program coordinator Brendan Parnell; a program with over 300 student members. A key goal Ben is working towards is to provide students who compete at club, state, national and international levels of any sport one-on-one or group S&C coaching to help advance and support their athletic endeavors while studying. Implementing strength work into a training program is fundamental for injury prevention and athletic development.
Ben’s top 3 tips for becoming a healthier you are:
- Prioritise sleep, both in quality and quantity! Don’t stay up until 1am finishing that assignment, get some rest, your body and mind will thank you.
- Eat clean, while a perfect diet doesn’t exist an 80/20 rule, with 80% of your diet being ‘clean’ will help you feel and function more effectively
- Most importantly, find a sport you enjoy! Don’t just do a sport because everyone else is, find a sport that motivates and excites you
If you haven’t met Ben yet you will likely find him in the High-Performance gym or at the Standing Room Café. If you have any questions don’t be shy! Be sure to check out the Elite Athlete Page to find out if you’re eligible to apply!