Tour Down Under
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters' Club
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters' Club
January 18, 2004
by
Emma Masters
For people who are both talented athletes and scholars, the juggle between sport and study can be highly demanding.
But any high performing athletes studying at the University of South Australia (UniSA) can now feel secure that they will receive even more support in their endeavours to achieve both academic and athletic excellence, with the University a key member of the Elite Athlete Friendly Universities Network (EAFU) launched in late 2004.
This is certainly the case for Team UniSA cyclist and UniSA finance student, James Hannam (pictured).
As a professional cyclist Hannam spends seven months of the year riding in Europe before he returns home to Adelaide for Christmas and to compete in the Jacob’s Creek Tour Down Under, in which he is riding for Team UniSA for the second time this year.
And like all his other Team UniSA peers the 21-year-old is proud to again be riding for the all South Australian born and bred team. But he’s also got another reason to be proud to wear the UniSA jersey — he’s a student with the University with just one year left to complete a Bachelor of Finance.
“I’ve been studying my degree by distance education because I spend so much time living and riding overseas,” says Hannam.
“I absolutely love cycling and competing at a high level, but having a few health problems last year really emphasised the need to ensure I’ve always got something to fall back on.”
And while Hannam has been given support and assistance by UniSA lecturers and staff during his undergraduate degree, he says he is excited about the formal recognition of the support athletes need to excel in both sport and study.
“It’s great that athletic and academic institutions have come together to support athletes in ensuring they pursue as many opportunities as possible,” he said.
“I’ve just got one more year to finish my degree so I’m going to stay in Adelaide, get some experience in the workforce and concentrate on races in Australia, especially the national series which is changing a bit.”
“I still might go to Europe for two months and do the really important races, so it’s great to know there are people I can turn to, to help me juggle my studies and my cycling.”
“UniSA staff and the South Australian Sports Institute’s Brendan Tamo have always been very accommodating to my situation but I think this is a step in the right direction for making the combination of study and sport an easier process.”
About the EAFU
The EAFU is a unique partnership between the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), state academies of sport (such as the South Australian Sports Institute), 26 Australian universities and participating professional players associations (such as the AFL Players Association, Australian Cricketers Association, Rugby Union Players Association).
The agreement acknowledges the commitment required in sport at an elite level. Those in the network recognise the demands of elite athletes and are working to put policies and practices in place to assist talented sportsmen and women with their academic pursuits.
This will be done through support and assistance in enrolment, study options and course related needs, flexibility of course delivery and assessment as well as having systems in place to create a supportive environment that is conducive to the achievement of academic excellence. In no way does it promise an academic "free ride" to elite athletes.
