A Level 1 Sports Trainers course and First Aid was conducted at the Wycheproof Recreation Reserve (Football Club Rooms) on Sunday, April 6, 2025.
Dawn Ferrier, TalkSmart Training from Echuca, was the experienced facilitator who once again worked in partnership with Rhonda Allan of the Mallee Sports Assembly (Wycheproof).
Dawn has been very busy lately facilitating several courses in the region and her very valued services give people the opportunity to be skilled up as a Level 1 Sports Trainer and gain their First Aid certificate.
While some trainer courses are industry recognised, this Level 1 Sports Trainer course is nationally recognised. Sports taping of elbow, ankle, knee, fingers, thumb and Achilles were included in the session.
All of the theory was completed online prior to the “hands on” component, participants only come for the practical workshop.
Crucial skills
The Level 1 Sports Trainer course teaches crucial skills for safety during sports activities. It is ideal for those involved in sports-related roles, including club volunteers and sports enthusiasts.
The course covers injury prevention and management strategies, making it a valuable resource for anyone involved in sports.
This is an integrated program designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding and skillset in sports injury prevention, management, and competition preparation.
Congratulations to the following people (11 from eight different clubs) who participated in the Level 1 Sports Trainers course: Andrew Weir (St Arnaud Football Club), Clifford Pearson (Cohuna Kangas FNC), Tanya Hogan (Birchip-Watchem FC), Tessa Coles (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Keely Allan (Calder United Lions Hockey Club), Lauren Thompson (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Laura Poyner (Calder United Lions Football Club), Megan Tonkin (Donald Netball Club), Shelley Nelson (Charlton Football Netball Club), Kara Farrell (Macorna Netball Club), Jeremy Dean (Birchip-Watchem FC).
There were also extra people (10 from 3 clubs) who updated/completed their First Aid as follows:
Alicia Gault (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Brittany Wren (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Georgia Brown (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Holly Saul (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Mikayla Keller (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Montana Kelly (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Suzanna Fawcett (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Meg Hogan (Calder United Lions Netball Club), Steve Cooper (Calder United Lions Football Club), Jenna Angel (Birchip-Watchem Netball Club).
The sports trainers play an important role in ensuring the safety of participants at sporting clubs.
Participant Jeremy Dean practising taping an ankle, Mikayla Keller (left) strapping up Montana Kelly, Instructor Dawn Ferrier (centre) demonstrating taping. Photos: The Buloke Times
These people will be now recognized as an industry accredited sports trainer (depending on their pre-component training, current first aid, CPR status), providing skills on how to prevent and manage injuries on and off the sporting field. Industry accreditation from this course is the standard requirement to work as a sports trainer in many of the country’s sporting codes.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 11 April 2025.
