Amy Crowden, Tom Rock and Matt Whitaker were all involved with Carlton’s women’s team in 2018 and 2019, which encompassed the Blues’ run to the AFLW Grand Final last season.
Amy completed her student placement with the Carlton Women’s team as a performance analyst in 2019 and returns for a second season with the team in 2020 in a paid position. As part of her role, Amy is responsible for video capture and coding during training and matches and has the important task of relaying this information back to coaches and players to inform timely decision making.
Tom (2018) and Matt (2019) undertook their Honours research projects with the Carlton Women’s program, enabling them to integrate their research with an applied sport science role. Tom and Matt specifically came to La Trobe from other universities to undertake this industry-specific research experience. This has not only benefitted their research, but they are now both employed with the team.
Tom and Matt are responsible for the daily monitoring of players, specifically regarding on-field GPS tracking and player wellness. They have an integral role within the club that ensures the appropriate prescription of training and recovery for players.
In 2016, La Trobe began a long-term partnership with the Carlton Football Club with student employability and student experience at its core. This was also the year that the AFL announced it would be starting a women’s league in 2017, which provided a great opportunity for the partnership to invest in women in sport.
Carlton, with a letter of endorsement and support from La Trobe, successfully secured a licence for a women’s team in the inaugural year and each year since La Trobe students have been working alongside the team.
The Carlton partnership has gone from strength-to-strength since 2016, growing the total number of student internships, research projects it undertakes and strategic initiatives.
In 2019, the Carlton College of Sport was launched (powered by La Trobe University), offering a unique education experience for students to study in the heart of high-performance sport.
Head to the La Trobe Sport website for more information on La Trobe University’s industry partnerships.
