The AIS program enhancing Australia’s sport practitioners
An effective high performance sports system doesn’t just rely on talented athletes but also the expertise of those who support them along the way.
An effective high performance sports system doesn’t just rely on talented athletes but also the expertise of those who support them along the way.
Recognising this, the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is investing in Performance Support practitioners who work with athletes and coaches across specialties such as sports science, medicine, strength and conditioning, and wellbeing.
Now in its fourth year, the AIS Practitioner Development Program (PDP) is providing 16 early-career practitioners from around the country with the tools, strategies, and networks they need to thrive in a high-performance sport environment.
For Alex Lascu, a sports scientist at the Queensland Academy of Sport, the experience has been transformational.
“It's pretty rare to have genuine professional development opportunities, especially in the world of sport, that are this comprehensive and really targeted to what we do on a day-to-day basis,” Lascu said.
“My ability to communicate more effectively now will hopefully raise awareness and advocacy for what we can contribute to the system and just make it that little bit easier to work towards common goals.”
This year’s cohort came together for two in-person workshops as part of the six-month program to explore topics including optimising collaboration, career management, communication, storytelling and personal wellbeing.
ACT Academy of Sport Athletic Performance Coach Jack Doyle says the program is shaping his ambitions for the future.
“Just chatting and telling stories and working through these different concepts that we've been doing over the last two residentials has been really good,” Doyle said.
“I hold a strong value towards making a legacy within the industry, and some of the concepts that we have developed within this program are steering me in the right direction to hopefully one day be a career-leading practitioner.”
Aligning with Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy (Win Well Strategy), the AIS PDP is an initiative reflecting the commitment to building a united and sustainable sporting system, with world-leading knowledge and practices, and high-functioning performance teams.
Find out more about the AIS Practitioner Development Program.
AIS Practitioner Development Program 2025 cohort:
Name | Role | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
Jack Doyle | Athletic Performance Coach | ACT Academy of Sport |
Brice Pennicott | Senior Sport and Exercise Physiotherapist | Allcare Physiotherapy/ Tasmanian Institute of Sport |
Bailey Opie | Sport Psychologist | Australian Institute of Sport |
Hugo Webster | Performance Psychologist | NSW Institute of Sport/ Surfing Australia |
Meghan Keast | Movement Scientist (Biomechanics) | Queensland Academy of Sport |
Alex Lascu | Sport Scientist (Learning Design) | Queensland Academy of Sport |
James Coleman | Performance Psychologist | Queensland Academy of Sport/ Queensland Cricket |
Emily Kingston | Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Practitioner | Queensland Academy of Sport |
Danielle Jolly | Doctor | Rowing Australia/ NSW Institute of Sport |
Meg Lemon | Sports Dietitian | South Australian Sports Institute |
Tess Rolley | Physiologist | South Australian Sports Institute |
Yasu Maki | Head Physiotherapist and Strength and Conditioning Coach | Squash Australia/ Baseball Australia |
Tyson Basford | Physical Preparation Coach | Victorian Institute of Sport |
Milli Bilson | Performance Scientist - Performance Analysis | Victorian Institute of Sport |
Ryan Hatfield | Performance Scientist - Skill Acquisition | Victorian Institute of Sport |
Cate Gifford | Physical Preparation Coach | Victorian Institute of Sport |