Both the Carlton Football Club and the Melbourne Rebels have completed multiple preseason training sessions at the La Trobe Sports Park in recent months across both their Men’s and Women’s programs; further strengthening the industry partnership ties between the clubs and the University.
La Trobe University has been the proud Higher Education partners of the Carlton Football Club since 2016 and the Melbourne Rebels since 2017. La Trobe’s long-term ties with these major sport organisations enable the University to provide its students with work-integrated learning opportunities, practical employment outcomes and a variety of gameday experiences for the wider La Trobe community.
The Melbourne Rebels Super W attended their final training session at the La Trobe Sports Park in December 2021 for their pre-Christmas training block, with the squad utilising the Sports Park’s synthetic rectangle pitch and the Strength & Conditioning Lab within the Sports Performance Hub.
Melbourne Rebels Super W Team Manager, David Phillips, said the squad enjoyed the opportunity to utilise La Trobe’s wide array of sports fields high performance testing facilities.
“The squad were able to use the Sports Performance Hub facilities in December 2021, and we are very eager to get to La Trobe University again soon,” Phillips said.
“The gym and strength and conditioning facilities are world-class, and our players can’t wait to use them again.”
Carlton’s AFL Men’s squad conducted a high performance training session in February as part of their preseason training program, utilising a variety of facilities ranging from the Strength and Conditioning Lab to Tony Sheehan Oval. The specialised Australian Rules oval has also hosted the Blues’ VFLW squad during its preseason campaign.
Carlton Football Club Senior Assistant, Ashley Hansen, said he was impressed with the quality of the Tony Sheehan Oval surface and the state-of-the-art gym facility.
“Having trained and coached within elite environments across the country, I was extremely impressed with the university’s entire Sports Park precinct,” Hansen said.
“The durability and functionality of the entire facility is first class, and our players couldn’t speak more highly of their experience once again.
“La Trobe has certainly set the bar high with their facilities, creating an environment for athletes to reach their full potential and ensure optimal performance.
“Any student or athlete who has the opportunity to train or work within the precinct is extremely fortunate to do so.”
For more information on the La Trobe Sports Park, visit our interactive virtual tour on the La Trobe Sport website.
