Innovating Sport Science Practices through Technology to Support the Performance and Wellbeing of Female Professional Athletes
We are thrilled to announce a new National Industry PhD Program collaboration between the Sydney Swans AFLW and UNSW on an industry-focused PhD project aimed at addressing key challenges in the high-performance women's sport sector. This collaborative effort brings together academic expertise and industry insights to drive innovation and deliver real-world impact.
The project, titled "Innovating Sport Science Practices through Technology to Support the Performance and Wellbeing of Female Professional Athletes," focuses on female Australian Rules Football players and aims to develop sport science databases to enhance player health and performance. It seeks to support the growth of the women's league and ensure that innovations cater to the specific needs of female athletes.
Leveraging UNSW's renowned expertise in Exercise and Sport Science and the Sydney Swans’ industry leadership in female high-performance sport, this project epitomises a collaborative approach that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
“The Sydney Swans AFLW program is incredibly proud to be running the embedded PhD research project with our senior women's team. The project will provide a much-needed contribution to the female athlete research evidence base and will also deliver valuable insights into how to optimise both performance and health within our AFLW program.” - Sean Hardy, Head of AFLW Athletic Performance at Sydney Swans
“This project continues to strengthen the partnership between UNSW and the Sydney Swans and provides a platform for impactful and translational industry research that aims to support the growth of women’s sport.” - Dr Nattai Borges, Senior Lecturer at UNSW.
“I am deeply proud and grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the University of New South Wales and Sydney Swans. This experience offers a unique platform to enhance my theoretical and practical expertise through engagement with leading professionals in the field. The ability to contribute meaningfully to the progression of women’s sport is a significant privilege, honour, and source of motivation.” - Harry Harcourt, NIPhD candidate and AFLW Athletic Performance Assistant at Sydney Swans.
By developing state-of-the-art sport science databases using health and performance data collected directly from players, this project will inform current protocols and future directions in the rapidly evolving female Australian Rules Football (AFLW) environment. Given the rapidly evolving physical demands of the AFLW these innovations may help improve player career longevity, enhance longer-term athlete health post-career, and support sustainable growth of the AFLW in Australia. This project will also develop a highly specialised future professional in sport science with a unique skillset to support the growth of the Australian sporting industry.