Australian Sports: Perspectives on Management and Medicine
Summer 2012: July 5 to July 26 (tentative dates)
Program Location
This new program will take students to Melbourne, Sydney, Surfers Paradise and Cairns. Academic site visits include the Australian Institute of Sport, local universities, Aussie Rules Football, Rugby and other sport organizations. Participants will visit an Australia wildlife park, pet kangaroos, and hold koala. Activities include snorkeling or scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef and a visit to the Daintree National Park, the oldest rainforest in the world. The group will meet local aboriginals, learn a little about their culture, enjoy a tribal dance, have lessons throwing boomerangs, and enjoy a leisurely cruise on Sydney’s world famous harbor.
Academic Program
 This 3-week educational experience exposes students to the common Australian sports of Rugby, Netball, Australian Rules Football, Cricket, Lawnbowling and Surfing as well as the Australian model of sport and medical delivery system. The Sport Medicine and Sport Management students will have the opportunity to learn about common injuries, courses will have breakout sessions at each site for specific topic areas. The Sport Medicine course highlights injury prevention, mechanisms, and management from clinicians working with elite Australian athletes. They will also talk with a nutritionist, representatives from the world leading Australia Sports Drug Agency, and researchers at the Australian Institute of Sport as well as numerous Australian Universities. The Sport Management course includes community sport systems, facility operations and management, and adventure sport tourism. Students will talk with staff from the Sydney Swans AFL Football Club, the Melbourne Storm & South Sydney Rabithohs National Rugby League Clubs, Netball Australia, Gold Coast Blaze Basketball Club, the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation as well as other leading industry professionals in various sporting clubs and organizations.
The trip is a partnership with Health Sciences and the School of Hospitality, Sport and Recreation Management departments at JMU. The trip will include lectures, guided tours, guest lectures, site visits with guest speakers. Students will be assessed by completing multiple reflection assignments as well as an end of the semester project. Students will be responsible for being active participants in all group learning activities.
 Visit and talk with a minimum of 18 different sport medicine and/or sport management professionals in Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns and Surfers Paradise. Forty percent of your time will be spent in educational sessions, forty percent in organized cultural and tourism activities and the rest as free time to explore and learn on your own. Highlights include a boat tour of Sydney Harbour and tour of the Dantree National Park rainforest, visits to the Australian Institute of Sport, multiple Australian Universities, Rod Laver Tennis Center, Australian Rules Football, Rugby and Cricket games and the Aboriginal Cultural Center. Some activities students will have the opportunity to participate in include lawnbowling, snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, a surf lesson and boomerang throwing. Hang on for some other “adventures” such as wave running, feeding kangaroos and live crocodile sightings.
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Additional information
Do I need a visa? Citizens of the USA will need a valid passport and an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) to enter Australia BUT we organize this for all students and this is why we ask for a copy of your passport with final payment.
What is the time difference between the USA and Australia? During Daylight Savings Australia is ahead of the USA as follows: a) East Coast: 14 hours b) Central: 13 hours c) West Coast: 11 hours
Where can I get local currency? You won’t have a hard time getting cash with debit cards being your best option. Credit cards generally have the best rate of exchange) for purchases) but definitely debit cards are best for cash.
Should I inform my bank/credit card agencies of my intended overseas travel? YES! If you are planning to use your ATM/credit cards overseas it is wise to inform the appropriate companies prior to departure in order to avoid having a hold placed on your card when international charges appear on your account. It is also beneficial to know if there are any fees associated with ATM use or cash advances so that you can best plan your finances.
What is the currency exchange rate for USD to Aussie Dollars? The exchange rate fluctuates with both the US and Australian economies. As an American traveling to Australia you usually come out ahead. You can check the current exchange rates at: www.iccfx.com
Can I get regular internet access in Australia? DEFINITELY. Some of the hotels we stay in will have internetaccess and there are internet cafes everywhere. You will have “no worries” about getting online virtually every day. Will I be able to phone home? EASILY! Phone cards are readily available and very inexpensive. You can utilize these phone cards or pay phones or on your hotel room phone OR pick one up prior to leaving the States, www.pingo.com have great rates.
Can I use my American electrical appliances in Australia? NO. Australia operates on 220-240 volts. However, you can purchase adaptors fairly cheaply from electrical stores such as Radio Shack or Best Buy prior to departure.
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Academic Program
Students will choose one of two 3-credit courses.
Tentative course offerings:
- HTH 490 – Special Issues in Australian Sports Medicine (3)
- KIN 490 – Special Issues in Aussie Sport and Recreation (3)
Accommodations
Students will reside in hotels. Some meals are included but not all meals (approximately 23 meals).
Program Costs
For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.
Application
For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.
Prerequisite: Application,
1-2 page essay addressing why you’d like to participate in this trip and what you are hoping to learn from the class, and faculty letter of support included with the application are required to apply. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is needed for either course. A prerequisite of ATEP 205/206 or similar from another university is necessary for HTH 490.
For More Information
For additional information about the JMU Australian Sports program, please contact the program directors:
Cara McFadden
Assistant Professor
Tel: 540-568-7409
E-mail:
mcfaddcw@jmu.edu
Connie Peterson
Assistant Professor
Tel:540-568-7085
E-mail: peterscl@jmu.edu
Department: School of Hospitality, Sport and Recreation Management and Department of Health Sciences
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