Central Queensland sports trainers will have the rare opportunity to undertake the Level II Sports Trainer course as part of the first Central Queensland Sports Medicine & Sports Science Conference in Rockhampton this year.

The conference will be held at Central Queensland University Rockhampton on Saturday and Sunday, July 12 And 13, with the Level II Sports Trainer course beginning on Friday July 11.

Offered through Sports Medicine Australia (SMA), this is the first time in eight years the course has been offered in Rockhampton.

Chairperson for SMA’s Rockhampton branch, Rick Robinson said the conference provided a great opportunity for sports trainers and health professionals to complete the advanced level sports trainer course outside of Brisbane.

For those already planning to attend the conference, it is a convenient and inexpensive way to complete Level II Sports Trainer, as much of the course criteria will be covered in the lecture, discussion and workshop sessions.

The course is a progression from Level I Sports Trainer and is designed to increase the sports trainer’s knowledge of how the general principles of sports medicine relate to sports, as well as introducing new topics such as psychology of injury, rehabilitation principles, advanced taping and drugs in sport.

Participants must already hold Level I Sports Trainer certification.

The conference has been coordinated by three key health and sports bodies: Central Queensland University’s School of Health and Human Performance, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery – Rockhampton Hospital and Sports Medicine Australia – Central Queensland branch.

Focusing on sport and health issues relevant to the Central Queensland community, the Conference has attracted high profile guest speakers including Dr Rob Weatherby, CEO of Doping for the Sydney Olympics. Dr Weatherby was responsible for the blood and urine testing of the Olympic athletes.

Dr Weatherby’s will speak on anabolic steroids – how they work, side-effects (positive and negative) and how they are detected by testing blood and urine.

Other topics to be discussed include nutritional supplements, treatment for cartilage injuries, principles of physiotherapy and rehabilitation, nutrition and sports psychology, sports injuries and biomechanics.

Workshops will be held in nutritional case studies, taping in sports, stretching, warm ups and cool downs.

Head of the School of Health and Human Performance at CQU, Dr Peter Reaburn said the Conference was a first for Central Queensland, but hopefully not the last.

He said the objective of the conference was to attract medical practitioners, allied health professionals, sports coaches, sports trainers, sports scientists, health and fitness industry professionals and exercise and sport science students to address current issues in the fields of sports medicine, sports science, health and fitness.

For more information and registrations phone Kim Gohdes on 4930 9813 or email k.gohdes@cqu.edu.au.