A structured pathway for students who are serious about sport
When Josh Marino joined Salesian College Sunbury, there was no formal pathway for students who wanted to pursue sport alongside their studies. He set out to change that — designing an AFL Academy from the ground up. A key component of the program is a partnership with IVET to offer student-athletes a nationally recognised qualification.
In 2026, the Salesian AFL Academy launched its first cohort of 20 student-athletes, with IVET’s Certificate III in Sport, Aquatics and Recreation complementing athlete development. The qualification offers students nationally recognised training and a genuine first step toward a career in sport or recreation. It also gives the academy a framework that is built to grow.
A program that puts students first, in and out of the classroom
The academy’s hybrid structure includes three timetabled sessions a week and two outside of school hours. In-class sessions cover theory, AFL skills and strength and conditioning. The outside-class sessions add the volume and intensity of a high-performance environment without displacing other subjects. IVET’s program has been thoughtfully woven throughout, with learning and assessment embedded rather than bolted on at the end.
Training loads are periodised across the season, so students are supported, not overloaded, during their club commitments. The result is a program that takes sport seriously and treats academic progression with the same care.
Opening doors students would not otherwise have
Beyond the IVET partnership, Josh has added a range of industry partners that strengthen the program further. The Essendon Football Club delivers on-site clinics and a Marvel Stadium Careers Day; the Calder Cannons provide talent pathways and a bridge to elite environments; and Life Saving Victoria delivers the Pool Lifeguard qualification.
These are not just logo partnerships. They give students direct exposure to careers in sport and recreation, strengthening the students’ learning journeys.
A program designed to run without its founder
From the beginning, Josh’s goal was to build something the school would own, not something that depended on one person to hold it together. Every session plan, delivery schedule and operational procedure was documented with a clear question in mind: if the coordinator changed tomorrow, what would the next person inherit?
“It’s not my program. It’s the school’s. The question I kept asking was: how can this be sustainable for 50 years?”
Josh Marino, Sports Academy Coordinator, Salesian College SunburyPart of the answer is IVET. The Certificate III in Sport, Aquatics and Recreation is structured around a sport-agnostic core, which means the same qualification framework that underpins the AFL Academy can sit beneath a future basketball, netball or cricket program without rebuilding from scratch. A new sport needs a specialist trainer, not a new RTO partnership. That flexibility is built in from day one.
What started as one teacher’s idea has become a program the school can scale, the students can rely on, and a future coordinator can pick up and run with. The early signs are already there: students are engaging more seriously with their studies, partnerships are deepening, and the framework is ready to extend to other sports when the time comes.
That is what a well-designed VET program looks like: a teacher with a clear vision, an RTO that supports it, and a structure built to outlast both.
What other schools can take from this
The right RTO partnership adds credibility. IVET’s qualification framework provided the program with structure and a clear qualification outcome.
Make it part of the timetable. When a program sits inside school hours, it signals to students, parents and staff that it is core schooling, not an add-on.
Document for the next coordinator, not yourself. Session plans and operational procedures built for handover let the program survive staff changes and expand into new sports.
Ready to build something like this at your school?
IVET works with schools across Australia to design and deliver VET programs that are built to last. Talk to our team about what is possible.
This article includes insights shared during Sport4All’s national webinar “Progress in Play: The Future of Inclusive Sport” (2025).
If you’re delivering VETDSS Sport & Recreation, Sport Coaching, or Outdoor Recreation qualifications, participant inclusion should be at the forefront of your thinking. But how do we move beyond theory and make inclusion genuinely practical for both you and your students?
Recent insights from Sport4All’s Progress in Play webinar have provided some practical approaches that directly support your teaching and your students’ workplace readiness.
The foundation: Trust takes time
One of the most powerful messages from the webinar was: ”Hold the door open long enough for them to walk through.”
This metaphor reminds us that inclusion isn’t about a quick checklist. It’s about creating spaces where people feel genuinely welcome. Whether you’re working with participants with disability, First Nations participants, or those facing multiple barriers, the principle is the same: trust takes time, and patience matters.
Don’t rush straight into discussing needs or assumed limitations. Instead, invest time in building rapport through individual-focused communication, active listening, and consistent support.
Simple strategies that work
For your teaching practice:
1. Just ask
The most effective consultation technique? Simply ask the person. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable about not knowing everything.
Start conversations with “What do you want to achieve?” rather than “What’s your disability?” or “What’s wrong?” This shifts the focus from limitations to capabilities and preferences.
2. Recognise the real barriers
Help your students identify practical barriers beyond the obvious:
- Physical access issues
- Cost of participation
- Lack of clear signage
- Fear of “getting it wrong” from coaches and volunteers
- The assumption that people need specialised programs rather than modifications to mainstream activities
That last point is crucial. Often, small adaptations to existing programs are more inclusive and more sustainable than creating separate “disability programs.”
3. Communication matters
Make learning more accessible:
- Provide information in multiple formats
- Use contrasting colours and large text
- Add alt text to images in learning materials
- Type out information rather than only posting images
These adjustments benefit all participants, not just those with disability.
For your students’ learning:
1. Belonging before performance
Baseball Queensland’s approach to coaching in the first 3-4 weeks of any program is to focus on making friends and creating belonging, not developing skills or winning games.
The mindset shift from “winning” to “belonging” is particularly important at junior and entry levels. Help your students understand that as coaches and activity leaders, they’re mentors and facilitators first, instructors second.
2. Diversity within disability
Make sure students understand that disability is incredibly diverse. Three different people with disability will have three different needs. The key is making people comfortable first, then asking how you can support their participation.
3. Cultural considerations
When working with First Nations communities, students need to understand that:
- Some communities may not discuss disability openly due to shame or stigma
- Decisions might be made by family groups rather than individuals
- Building relationships comes before discussing programs
- Cultural safety and disability inclusion are deeply connected
Evaluation tools
These evaluation strategies will work just as well in your classroom as they do in community sport:
- Sticky note exercise: Best parts on one wall, improvements on another. Then group themes together.
- Photo voice surveys: Ask students to photograph their favourite part of a practical session.
- Stories of change: Informal conversations about experiences.
- Google Forms: For anonymous feedback when appropriate.
Create multiple feedback avenues. Not everyone likes surveys, and offering choice makes evaluation more inclusive in itself.
Resources to support delivery
- Sport4All 3-minute schools inclusion check-in survey (https://sport4all.com.au/school-form/)
- Sport4All 3-minute clubs inclusion check-in survey (https://sport4all.com.au/club-form/)
- Contrast checker tools for accessible social media (free online – https://colourcontrast.cc/)
- Baseball Queensland Junior Coaching Handbook (free download)
- Play by the Rules resources (www.playbytherules.net.au)
- Australian Sports Commission PlayWell Strategy (https://www.ausport.gov.au/playwell)
The bottom line
Inclusion isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions, listening actively, and being willing to learn.
You’re already doing important work by delivering these qualifications. These practical strategies help you do it with more confidence and impact.
As the Sport4All team reminded us, when you design for 1% of the population (those who need the most support), the other 99% benefit too. That’s not just good inclusion practice. It’s good teaching.
For more Sport4All resources, visit: https://sport4all.com.au
