Introduction
CARE’s activity is focused predominantly on research conducted by staff, honours students, and postgraduate students.
The Centre for Sport and Exercise (CSE)
CARE enjoys a symbiosis with the Centre for Sport and Exercise (CSE). Pool time is shared between research, teaching, and recreational uses, the last of which is managed by CSE. The Committee has established harmonious relationships to enable effective use of the pool facility to optimise the financial performance of both the CSE and CARE business plans.
Over the years CARE has accommodated the increasing needs of CSE and, over the last two years, the developing swimming performance programme administered by CSE with full-time coach Chris Jones. The research and performance uses of the pool interact very successfully. The performance group provides participants for the research programme and CARE provides high level feedback to assist Chris in developing the technique and fitness of his swimmers.
The original business plan (2002) included considerable emphasis on analysis services for coaches and swimmers. These services are still offered but not promoted. CARE’s activity is now focused predominantly on research conducted by staff, honours students, and postgraduate students. This research takes place in periods of low demand by CSE, university and community clubs, and the performance team.
The development of a new portable camera system to replace the aging original system, without recourse to internal funds, has had the additional benefit of improving flexibility with respect to the use of the pool facility at St Leonard’s Land. This enables some research to be conducted at alternate venues to sustain research productivity without impinging on the time required for CSE to maximise its income.
This article was published on Oct 5, 2011