By Russ Haylock
UOW College Australia Business and Fitness Program Manager, Travis Roche, is calling on Illawarra Rugby League players, coaches, and volunteers interested in obtaining qualifications in the world of fitness to apply for this year’s UOW College scholarship, which is open until July 31.
A former St George-Illawarra Dragons Under 20s representative who also spent time at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Travis’s career was curtailed by a series of knee injuries, which forced him to retire at the age of 21.
While recovering from these injuries, Travis completed his Certificate III and IV in Fitness and a Diploma of Business. Since retiring, he has gained further qualifications in these fields and worked as a personal trainer in several gyms.
Travis says the courses and facilities available through UOW College correlate well with the world of rugby league and encourages those passionate about this industry to apply for the scholarship.
“We want to be surrounded by individuals who want to improve and continually learn. We accept people from all walks of life. We encourage people to come in with an open mind and ready to ask questions,” says Travis.
“Students learn about movement and different training methodologies. They also learn how to engage people, how to have difficult conversations, how to motivate and guide people, and how to positively impact people through different training methods.”
Travis is a good example of the range of career paths available following completion of a course at UOW College after becoming the Strength and Conditioning coach of the NRL Dragons NSW Cup team this year.
“Getting your Certificate III and IV in Fitness gives you so much variety and potential about where you want to go. I think the fun and enjoyable part is that there’s no one-size-fits-all, and everyone can do things differently.
“Taking the information you learn here into the rugby league setting not only helps coaches and trainers grow but also helps players improve their knowledge on health and wellness. That’s how we all continually get better.”
Click here to apply for the scholarship worth up to $10,000 for tuition fees. Applications close on 31 July.
About the Scholarship
Each year our education partner UOW College Australia awards a scholarship to a player, administrator or volunteer, affiliated with the Illawarra Rugby League Competition, to study an eligible UOW College Australia program. The program aims to encourage and assist Scholarship recipient(s) to achieve their educational goals. To learn more and apply click here