As the new ‘official training and certification provider in fitness’ for the VIS, AIF will provide VIS athletes with a variety of scholarships for its industry-leading health and fitness courses, which will enable them to acquire the necessary skills and qualifications to successfully launch new careers beyond their sport.
VIS Performance Lifestyle Manager Leesa Gallard is thrilled with the new collaboration and the opportunities it will create for VIS athletes; “This is an exciting new partnership for the VIS with industry leader AIF. It will provide VIS athletes access to accredited training courses to develop their skills, qualifications, and sense of identity beyond the sporting field. Pursuing a career path alongside their elite athlete path is important for athlete’s development as a person and as an elite performer both now and for their future beyond high performance sport,” said Ms Gallard.
AIF has helped over 60,000 students get started in new careers and has become the gold standard of fitness and massage qualifications in Australia. Over the past four decades it has become recognised in the industry for having trained many of Australia’s top fitness professionals, among them a number of elite athletes re-training for post-competitive careers.
A pioneer in both face-to-face and online fitness education, AIF offers three modes of study across a wide selection of courses, including personal training and fitness coaching. This flexible learning approach will allow our athletes the flexibility to study at a pace that aligns with the commitments in their life, when and where it suits them.
Welcoming the announcement of the new partnership, AIF’s VIC General Manager, Justin Strout said; “For elite-level athletes looking to opportunities following their time in competitive sport, a career in the fitness industry is a very natural progression. From increasing strength and agility, to flexibility and speed, fitness professionals dedicate themselves daily to many of the same core practices as elite athletes. At AIF we can equip them with the know-how to adapt this experience and develop the skills to grow a successful career training others. AIF has trained a number of professional athletes to become personal trainers over the years, and we look forward to helping VIS athletes gain the qualifications to begin the next phase of their lives.”
At the VIS, helping athletes to succeed in sport and life is a top priority, and encouraging them to prepare for their transition out of sport through career development is one of the ways we ensure athletes stay on-track.
We see how education can transform athletes’ focus and perspective, by enabling them to establish options for their future. By building confidence and a sense of purpose and identity beyond the competitive arena, study is integral to creating balance in their lives. For these reasons, we are thrilled to make AIF’s fully accredited, nationally recognised courses available to our athletes.
