Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

School Supports Sport Safety

With the assistance of a local health and injury management provider, Mackay Christian College’s (MCC) athletes are competing in the safest and most prepared environment possible.

MCC is entering its third year of partnership with Forebode Health & Injury Management, a provider with a strong focus on sports medicine, working particularly with children in sport.

Owner and Senior Clinical Consultant Marc Newman has been in the business for over 35 years, working with a variety of organisations including NRL and Rugby Union Queensland.

He started providing sideline assistance and clinical care for MCC’s rugby union teams, with his role growing to include providing assistance with complex case management, delivering classroom learning to sport and recreation students and providing first aid training to staff and students.

“It’s built confidence with the students and the parents because they have some degree of comfort around the fact that, if their kids are away, they’re still going to get good quality clinical support,” Mr Newman said.

Mr Newman travels with MCC’s sport teams, with MCC Head of Senior School Peter Hopper saying his presence takes pressure off the staff who are managing those teams.

“It really values the students in that sort of confidence and seeing somebody who actually knows how to do that properly,” he said.

“I think it inspires some of them about career pathways in that space as well.

“For every professional sportsman that’s on the field, there’s a whole team of supporters around them and there’s plenty of opportunity in those sorts of roles.

“It’s safety and security but also an inspiration to the students to show what’s possible.”

“To have that conversation with the kids and help them realise that they’re genuine career pathways is exciting,” added Mr Newman.

“The school’s engaged me in a way that means I can actively be involved in helping promote safety in sport which is one of those roles I fill in professional sport as well.”

L-R Marc Newman and MCC Sport Representatives Jackson Palmer, Ella Duncan, Emma Reid, Kaitlyn Pollock and Charlie Hammond

MCC Sports Coordinator Sheril Buchanan, Marc Newman, Sports Admin Tracey Costello and Sports Aide Toni Attard

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