INFORMATION Sessions for an innovative project aimed at better equipping Geelong based clubs and their players to deal with injury prevention and provide qualitative medical expertise were held on Wednesday night at Barwon SC and on Thursday at Lara United FC.

PHOTO: The Info session held at Barwon SC’s Grovedale Reserve clubrooms on Wednesday (top) and the Lara United FC session at the Lara Community Centre on Thursday (bottom)

Initiated and managed by the Geelong Medical Advisory Board - a loose group formed by the Geelong Region Football Committee (GRFC) which brings together various allied health professionals to voluntarily advise the GRFC on medical/welfare matters associated with football – the Information Sessions served to inform players, parents and club administrators what the Healthy Clubs’ Pilot Project will entail.

The seminar was run by the FFV Strategic Development CoOrdinator for the Geelong region Tonci Prusac, the Convenor of the Medical Advisory Board and local podiatrist Paul Graham, as well as special guest Tim Amber from Care Monkey.

The Info Session included a brief overview of the project and the Medical Advisory Board, the advantages of using Care Monkey as a tool for maintaining player health/medical profiles efficiently, the role of a Club Health CoOrdinator that each participating club must provide, as well as the internationally renowned FIFA11Plus strength and conditioning program – another tool that will be used as part of the Project.

According to Prusac, the Club Health CoOrdinator is a vital part of the process and is central to the success of the Project.

“The three clubs that have been selected to take part in the groundbreaking Pilot program will only succeed if the hard work comes from within the clubs themselves. That’s why a Club Health CoOrdinator – or Club Welfare Officer, if you like – is of paramount importance to this project succeeding,” he explained.

“They will be the key person to coordinate the health and preventative strategies to reduce injury risk and they will be responsible for the administration of the players’ Care Monkey profiles. This doesn’t mean they will do all the work, rather they need to oversee coaches and team managers and ensure their respective players are filling out the forms.

“Being the club’s main contact point for correspondence from the Medical Advisory group, these CoOrdinators will also be the club’s representative in keeping us informed as to how best support and assist the unique health issues of that specific club,” added Prusac.

The Advisory Board will be meeting with a third club next week with the view of commencing the Pilot Project as early as possible thereafterwards.

The intention is for each of the pilot clubs’ players to experience an immediate benefit during the current pre-season, ahead of the 2018 league season which kicks off in mid-April.