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ISCA is a perfect fusion of high performance training coupled with sports business principles

If you’re passionate about your training and want to gain a qualification in the sports industry, the Diploma of Sports Management (High Performance) is a perfect fusion of high performance training coupled with sports business principles. This innovative program will give you an opportunity to turn your love of the game into a comprehensive understanding of the professional global sports industry. It offers a unique opportunity for students who are looking to stay in their sport while starting their higher education. View the full course structure.

Students choose from a combination of business, sports management and high performance subjects with the option to undertake an elective in sports management in trimester three. Career opportunities include sports media, player management, sponsorship and marketing, sports administration, operations management, sports facilities management.

Join us in 2024!

The Diploma of Sports Management (High Performance) offers you a stand-alone qualification through the International Sport College Australia (ISCA) or, should you wish to further your studies, you could choose to use your diploma qualification as a pathway into a bachelor program at ICMS, with completed specialisations and subjects counting towards your degree.

All students are an integrated part of the greater ICMS student community. Lectures and practicals are held at our Narrabeen campus and Sydney City Campus .

ISCA offers invaluable industry placement opportunities to students to give them real-life experiences at leading sports organisations. This allows students to develop a greater understanding of what working in the sports industry is all about and means that after your diploma you’ll have work experience on your CV, a network of contacts and a significant advantage over other job seekers.

Our vision is to become an Australian-leader in sports education, high performance sports programs & professional and career development.

ISCA Management

The ISCA team of experienced and professional coaches, lecturers and mentors are primed to take your athletic and academic development to new heights, utilising the latest sport science methods, guest speakers and innovative case studies from the global sports industry. The course curriculum has been constructed by sports experts to meet the requirements of the modern sports industry.

General Manager

Ian Evans

Ian is an experienced sports professional with more than 15-years of experience working in the sports management industry, including seven years at the helm of Australia’s largest tertiary elite athlete program at the University of Sydney.

Ian has held numerous consultancy roles during his career, including the AFL (Sydney Swans & GWS Giants), the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) Trust, and has managed several sports programs within the NRL (Penrith Panthers), Football NSW, Rowing NSW & the Sydney Kings.

A former journalist with Fairfax Publications, Ian has used his excellent communication & negotiation skills to assist more than 2,000 athletes juggle their sporting aspirations with their academic pursuits, including elite athletes (Olympians, Wallabies & Test Cricketers) to aspiring young student-athletes seeking mentoring, academic & career guidance.

Ian completed his Master of Commerce degree from the University of Sydney and created ISCA in conjunction with ICMS after identifying a gap between talented student-athletes leaving school and the next steps in their career and educational journey.

Don Singe

David Dennis

A former Richmond High School student, Dave Dennis represented the Australian Schoolboys team in 2004. Dennis’ Waratahs debut was against the Crusaders, in 2007 and by 2009 he was called into the Wallabies squad.His strong form in 2011 saw him again selected in the Wallaby squad and while not a member of the final 30-man RWC 2011 squad, he was one of a select group of players to train on throughout the Tournament. His reward was a place on the Spring Tour to the UK, where he started in non-cap XV that defeated the Barbarians by 60-11 at Twickenham.A hard-hitting lock/ back-rower, Dennis continued to impress for the Waratahs with his forming being rewarded with a test debut in 2012. He took over the Waratahs’ captaincy when Dean Mumm left the Waratahs in 2012. In all, Dave played 18 Tests for the Wallabies & 107 Super Rugby games for the Waratahs scoring 20 triesAfter finishing his career with the Waratahs, Dave moved to UK powerhouse club the Exeter Chiefs for the 2016/17 season, and in an incredible first year at the Chiefs, made 25 appearances in total, including featuring in the club’s Premiership Final victory over Wasps at Twickenham.Following his stellar stint with the Chiefs, Dave joined an illustrious list of players to win both the Champions Cup and Super Rugby before joining Los Angeles in the US as part of its emerging Rugby Union League. Dave moved back to Australia to work with ISCA in the coaching department, where his passion for Western Sydney and seeing young student-athletes develop academically and physically has been evident.

Dr Betul Sekendiz

Dr Betul Sekendiz has a wealth of academic experience with a Doctor of Philosophy in Sport Management from Bond University. Her research focuses on risk management, health and safety science, human factors, and ergonomics to minimise pertinent legal liability issues in health, fitness, exercise and sport. Betul’s expertise reflects on her sporting background in bodybuilding and fitness, where she has competed in national and international bodybuilding competitions. She has won several championships with a top 20 ranking at the IFBB World Bodybuilding Championships.

Dr Stephen Burke

With more than 40 years of lecturing & teaching experience in the University, TAFE & secondary school sectors, and secondary education, Stephen utilises his education qualifications & skills to motivate students to engage in academic endeavours. Stephen oversaw the Exercise and Sport Science program at ACU for 25 years, working with elite athletes and assisting them with the balance between academic requirements & their sporting commitments.

His experience as a sports scientist has allowed for a deep understanding of the factors that contribute to a successful high-performance environment. Stephen has submitted numerous successful applications for research grants, which have led to the publication of more than 50 papers relating to high-performance sports, as well as supervising several masters and PhD students in their research and thesis writing.

An experienced athlete, Stephen has participated in more than 44 marathons and 10 Iron Man triathlons, including the famous Hawaiian Iron Man. His PhD topic centered on the psychological and physiological effects in predicting performance in the Ironman triathlon.

Craig Hammond

Craig has been involved in the sports industry for over 10 years as a professional athlete, business owner, board member, and educational consultant.

As an athlete, Craig represented Great Britain playing water polo with the country’s 2012 London Olympics squad, as well as representing Sydney University water polo in the Australian National League for close to ten years.

Craig has a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Sydney, as well as a Master of Commerce degree, and is passionate about helping young student-athletes reach their athletic and educational goals.

Dr Jake Michael

Jake is one of our High-Performance lecturers and the current head coach of the NSW Institute of Sport sprint kayak team. A former sport scientist with the NSW Institute of Sport, Jake has lectured extensively with UTS and ACPE before joining the ICA team. Jake completed his PhD at the University of Sydney (biomechanics) and is an accredited High-Performance Manager & Sports Scientist with ESSA (Exercise & Sports Science Australia). One of Jake’s career highlights came in 2021 where he coached several members of the Australian Sprint Kayak team to gold medals at the Paralympic Games in Japan.

Christine McDermott

Christine has more than 25 years’ experience working in sport science and has worked with junior representative teams to Olympic level athletes, including members of the Sydney Swans, Wallabies, Manly Sea Eagles (NRL) & Australian Winter Olympic athletes. Christine previously worked as the Head Sports Analytics at the Sydney Academy of Sport, specialising in physiological and biomechanical assessment, and has held positions with the NSW Institute of Sport and as a lecturer with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), the University of Sydney and the Australian Institute of Fitness. Christine completed both her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Exercise and Sports Science at the University of Sydney.

Coaching

Basketball

Director of Curriculum – Rob Beveridge

Rob has had close to 30 years of experience as a professional coach which included over 300 games in the Australian National Basketball League. In February 2022, he coached the Australian national men’s team (the Boomers) in three World Cup qualifying fixtures in Japan, securing a 3-o record.

Rob has coached at two Olympic games, three World Championships – isecuring the gold medal for the Australian U20’s squad in 2003 – and two Commonwealth Games. A former Head Coach at the NSW Institute of Sport and winner of the NBL championship with the Perth Wildcats, Rob is committed to helping ISCA develop its young student-athletes from both a physical and technical perspective

Basketball

Coach – Ben Magden

Ben is one of the most respected players in NBL history, having captained the Sydney Kings from 2012 to 2015, and as a member of the Australian Boomers National team from 2011 to 2016.

Ben’s playing career spanned over 15 years of experience at the collegiate and professional level. Starting at Augusta State University (USA) where Ben was the captain of the team 2008 – 2010. Ben’s overseas experience consisted of playing in the European Basketball League from 2015 to 2019. In addition to his stellar playing career, Ben obtained a Master of Business from the Macquarie University Graduate School of Management and aside from his work with ISCA, Ben continues to coach with Sydney powerhouse program the Sydney Comets.

Coach – Eric Cooks

Eric has played more than 100 NBL games for the Illawarra Hawks and previously served as Assistant Coach with the team before coming to ISCA. Eric was born in Indiana (USA) and played college basketball at St. Mary’s College in California before relocating to Australia. Eric’s son Xavier currently plays for the Sydney Kings and Men’s National team.

Coach – Aleks Maric

Aleks has had an incredible basketball career, having played extensively internationally on the largest basketball stages in the world, including the 2012 London Olympics, the Spanish basketball league, and the Euroleague, where he won a championship with Greek powerhouse club Panathinaikos. Aleks is one of only a handful of Aussie basketballers to be named as an All-EuroLeague first team member, and he was selected to the Australian National team for the 2010 World Championships following his success overseas. A former player and assistant coach for the Sydney Kings, Aleks vast international experience and passion for mentoring student-athletes makes him a popular member of the ISCA coaching program.

Cricket

Nick Larkin

Nick is a NSW professional cricketer who made his debut for his State in 2014. Nick made his first appearance in the Big Bash League (BBL) with the Sydney Sixers in 2016 and is currently signed with BBL team the Melbourne Stars. Nick also has represented Ireland in two international appearances, and outside of his outstanding coaching with our ISCA program, works with student-athletes within the University of Sydney’s renowned Elite Athlete Program.

Football

Sam Gallagher

Sam is a former A-League player, young Socceroo, and current Youth Technical Director with the Manly United Football program.

Sam played in Australia’s premier football competition (the Hyundai A-League) for five years, winning a championship with Sydney FC in 2010 and was also a member of the Central Coast Mariners, Melbourne Victory Football Club, and the Newcastle Jets.

Prior to his impressive A-League career, Sam was a QANTAS Young Socceroo and a member of the Olyroos (U/23 National Team). Sam has also had professional footballing stints overseas in Norway, Vietnam & the United Kingdom.

Sam currently holds an AFC/FFA C-Licence Youth and Senior Certificate and is due to commence his B-Licence course in late May.

Rugby

Dan Parks

Dan is a former rugby union player who has represented Scotland at 67 Test matches and two Rugby World Cups in an amazing international career.

Dan played his early rugby in the Shute Shield and represented New South Wales at the U21 level before heading overseas and professionally for English rugby powerhouses the Glasgow Warriors, Cardiff Blues, and Connacht Rugby. His primary playing position was at fly half. From 2004 to 2012 Dan represented Scotland and had several career highlights, including the 2010 Six Nations Championship and the 2007 Rugby World Cup where he was voted Scotland player of the tournament.

Dan’s impressive coaching resume includes assistant coach of NRC sides Sydney Stars and NSW Country Eagles, skills coach for the Samoan national team, and head coach of Connacht’s U18 side. He is currently the Director of Colts at Sydney University Rugby and our ISCA rugby skills coach.

Nick Ryan

Nick Ryan is our current ISCA Head Rugby Coach and has a wealth of rugby experience across Super Rugby & Shute Shield, including a former role with the Melbourne Rebels as their General Manager (Professional Rugby and Pathways).

The current Director of Rugby at Sydney University Football Club, Nick has built strong relationships in Australian and international rugby in coaching and management roles with Randwick Rugby, Harvard University Rugby Club, Naas Rugby Club in Ireland, the Fijian national team, and the Rebels.

Nick brings to ISCA a holistic approach to the game and his experience in developing young rugby players such as former & current internationals Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, and Ned Hanigan amongst others is of significant benefit to our ISCA rugby program.

Strength and Conditioning

Braden Woods

Braden is highly accomplished sports industry professional, having completed a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sydney and a Master’s degree from Edith Cowan University specialising in strength & conditioning.

Braden is accredited by the Australian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) as well as the Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (ASCA) as a Level 2 S & C coach.

With his background in sports science, nutrition, weightlifting, and long-term athletic development, Braden brings an extensive amount of knowledge to the ISCA team and is responsible for the management of the high-performance team and sports science practical components of the program.

Justin Burt

Justin is a passionate member of the ISCA team dedicated to helping young athletes make a seamless transition from sport to tertiary studies.

A former member of the Manly Sea Eagles U/20s program, Justin completed a Bachelor of Business (Sport Management) degree at ICMS coach and has a Level 1 ASCA qualification.

Alyssa Jane Britton

Alyssa Jane joins ISCA having previously worked with NRL club Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Sydney Academy of Sport as a Sports Scientist. Alyssa has also worked in the fields of exercise physiology, and has a passion for exercise science, nutrition consulting and rehabilitation. Alyssa completed her Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science degree from ACU and is currently completing her Master of Human Nutrition from Deakin University. Alyssa also lectures for ISCA in the high-performance component of our program.

Jeremy Davie

Jeremy is a highly accomplished coach and former athlete, having played and studied at the prestigious University of Southern California (USC). After completing his Bachelor of Human Biology (Human Performance) degree, Jeremy continued to coach internationally in Hungary, Spain and Israel, and has also held strength & conditioning roles with the Sydney Kings Academy, Penrith Panthers Academy, the Scot’s College Sydney & St Vincent’s College Potts Point. Jeremy has completed his Certificate III & IV Fitness and is a Level 3 accredited EXOS Performance Coach. A former member of the Australian Junior World championship team in 2008 and co-captain at the 2010 Junior World Championships, Jeremy understands the importance of mentoring young student-athletes during their sporting & academic journeys.

Course Structure

 

Level Code Subject Credit
TRIMESTER ONE
 100 MGT101 Managing People and Organisations 3
100 SPO110 Introduction to Sport Management 3
100 SPO130 High Performance I 3
TRIMESTER TWO
100 MKT100 Principles of Marketing 3
100 SPO120 Sports Psychology, Health and Wellbeing 3
100 SPO140 High Performance 2 3
TRIMESTER THREE
100 ECO150 Economics for Sport 3
100 SPO150 High Performance 3 3
200 IND203 Industry Training [DSMHP] 2
ELECTIVES (Choose one) Offered only in trimester three
100 THE101A Introduction to Tourism, Hospitality and Events 3
100 MGT102A Global Citizenship 3
100 SPO102A Soci-Cultural Factors in Sport 3

Our Official Sport Education Partners 

Our valued sport industry partnerships assist our staff in assembling the most relevant and up-to-date case studies designed to give our students knowledge of current practices within the Australian and overseas sport markets.

Our Values

Trust

We are committed to operate with trust and integrity with each other, our stakeholders and the community.

TrANSPARENCY

We listen to our students, staff and the broader community and communicate in an effectivent and respectful manner.

camaraderie

We recognise the superior strength and efficiencies of good team work.

INNOVATION

We are a can-do organisation which strives for best practice through innovation and a willingness to embrace change.

Governance and Leadership

Our program is expertly driven by a strong Board of Advice who not only boast outstanding academic and professional credentials but also an impeccable knowledge of the sports industry. This leadership allows the ISCA opportunities to further enhance the programs high performance and academic components, and we are always searching for avenues to improve our product.

ISCA is owned, governed and operated by the prestigious International College of Management, Sydney Pty Ltd.