An Australian first high school sport research centre has been opened at Maribyrnong College within the Maribyrnong Sports Academy program today, and it’s set to influence the way teenagers go about their education, training, and preparation for sport.

The MSA Research Centre aims to provide evidence-based, innovative solutions to youth athlete development via high quality research. The centre will be a first of its kind in an Australian High School Academy and is committed to producing practical and applied research outcomes, which can be translated into a holistic training environment.

The MSA research centre will have the ability to test and work with over 550 athletes competing in a range of sports including Australian football, athletics, aquatics, badminton, baseball, basketball, cricket, football (soccer), golf, hockey, judo, netball, taekwondo, tennis, and volleyball. MSA currently provides a high-performance daily training environment for students to thrive in both sport and education and achieve their dreams.

The strength of the research program is the opportunity for multi-disciplinary projects related to youth athlete development; including and not exclusive to physical preparation; sport specific skill development; exercise preparation; injury prevention; rehabilitation; mental well-being; nutritional education and academic performance.

The MSA research centre will look to undertake collaborative research projects with local, national, and international partners.  An advisory committee has been set up to oversee the research centre and will include doctors and professors from around the world including The Universities of Melbourne and Sydney, Victoria University, La Trobe University, Edith Cowen University, Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales and both the Victorian Institute of Sport and the Australian Institute of Sport.

MSA Sports Director Mark McAllion believes the Research Centre can play a vital role in adolescent sport. “There is a genuine lack of research related to teenage athletes worldwide.  The MSA Research Centre aims to fill that gap and ultimately develop knowledge that can improve the way young athletes are educated, coached, supported and managed.”

Attending the launch was local state member Katie Hall MP (pictured above) as well as staff from the education department and members of the Advisory Committee. We also welcomed a delegation from the Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales who will be working with MSA on research projects.