May 22-Mind, Body, Name-calling

Hello out there Sports (Medicine Field Study Australia 2009) Fans,
You're all in luck because I am back to chronicle for you one of the best days we've had in Canberra. Tom feels that you all do not care what I have to say, but I know different. I think he is just an angry person because he has red hair and burns easily, but I suppose that is neither here nor there.
My day got off to a great start. We had fried eggs for breakfast. I loaded them up with salsa, as I like to do with eggs, and sat down eager to indulge in the most important meal of the day (besides second breakfast). Unfortunately, the bottle I thought was salsa was actually sweet and sour sauce. Not exactly what I was going for, to say the least. Regardless, this little setback could not keep me down for I was very excited for the morning's lecture. We would be talking with a Strength and Conditioning coach here at AIS. Since I am in the minority in this group because I am not an athletic training major and instead major in exercise science with an internship in strength and conditioning (I only picked up the sports medicine minor so I could go on this trip...man it feels good to get that off my chest) I had a vested interest in this lecture. I assumed that their training techniques would be very similar to ours in America, but it was good to have my assumptions verified from a professional. Their techniques were very similar to those we use in America (aside from the weekly bouts of crocodile wrestling), but I did learn a few new tools I could use in the future.
After the lecture we had a hands-on practical titled "Trained By Some of the Best". There we got to showcase our skills in basketball (stop laughing, Jake) for our good friend Brock and another ball player here at AIS, Shane. There were a few minor injuries: Tom caught a ball in the nose and Megan got a nice bruise from putting her knee in the way of mine (shouldn't have been standing there). Alex showcased some impressive range with his shots while the rest of us did some charity work and built a shelter for the homeless with all of the bricks we shot. If nothing else, I hope we gave Brock some confidence in his own abilities as he prepares to play for Washington State in the Fall.
After lunch (where there were thanfully no condiment malfunctions), we had a lecture with a Sports Psychologist. Many people in the group were eager to see how a Sports Psych works with the athletes to improve performance. I already had an idea, having lived with a psychologist for 18 years (hi Dad). She did a very good job making absolutely sure we understood all of the basics of her field and even managed to hypnotize Alex in the front row.
Immediately following the Psych lecture, we had another lecture with a "Physio" here at AIS, which is something of a mix between an Athletic Trainer and a Physical Therapist in the states. I was actually surprised by how interesting it was. In Australia, they take a much more hands-on approach to injury prevention and treatment. In America, an Athletic Trainer usually only sees an athlete once the injury has already occured. Here at AIS, the athletes are made to complete a survey every morning detailing how they are feeling. If the physio feels the athlete is coming close to an overuse injury or needs a break from training all it takes is one phone call and the athlete is rested for the day. Their philosophy is that the greatest injury treatment is preventing it all together, which seems simple enough for me. The athletes also have mandatory bi-monthly meetings with the physio for checkups and, according to Brock, are "forced" to get a massage once a week. It sure is tough here at the Australian Institute of Sport.
With our lectures done for the day, many of us decided to get out of AIS for a night and go to a local pub to watch a Rugby Union game. This is different from Rugby League and you better not mix the two up. Believe me. The Chiefs beat the Hurricanes 14-10, a chicken sandwich was $16, and I used the terms "wanker" and "tosser" roughly 317 times while referring to the shaved gorillas playing rugby on the television. I learned many things at the pub that night. For example, I never want to upset a rugby player in Australia. They are massive and they can run forever, so they take away both the fight and flight options. Also, I learned that American Football is for "wusses and poufs". I'm not 100% sure what a pouf is, but I think we all have a good idea what he was calling me. Perhaps most surprising, though, I learned that Dr. Jutte isn't mormon (I know she went to BYU. That's what I said. Who knew?).
We addressed the body, we addressed the mind, and I got called insulted by a middle-aged taxi driver. All in all, a very successful day.