Morrie Toum
This is what drives me: being able to help others in achieving their goals.
I learned the importance of hard work and persistence from a young age. I applied this to my schooling and also to my sporting activities – growing up, I was very fond of sport, ranging from rugby league, AFL to athletics and more. Injury meant that my dream of becoming a professional athlete was never realised. However, because of my love of sport, I knew I wanted to study a degree related to sport and health. If I studied sport and health, I would be able to support young athletes in pursuing their dreams of professional sporting careers.
I am exceptionally passionate about working with younger athletes. With my knowledge, I want to empower them by providing them with the tools to reduce the likelihood of getting injured, whilst also improving their sporting potential. This is what drives me: being able to help others in achieving their goals, whether it be related to sports performance or improved quality of life.
Studying Sport and Exercise Science at UTS has been very rewarding. It is such a broad and versatile course – you are able to learn about so many different facets related to strength and conditioning, public health, nutrition, biomechanics and numerous other avenues. So far, it has been the perfect degree to immerse myself; UTS has prepared me with the necessary knowledge I need to pursue any path that I may choose.
Applying for UTS was the best study decision I have ever made. The faculty is full of professionals who have made an impact in their respective fields and learning from them was an incredible experience. Plus, the newly designed facilities at Moore Park, in conjunction with the university’s strong relationships with professional sporting clubs – including Sydney Swans, Cricket NSW and Rugby Australia – were great incentives to study here.
The most rewarding aspect of the course has been learning from such knowledgeable, friendly and hard-working professionals in the field of sport science. During my degree, I have had opportunities to network and develop great relationships, which has opened many doors for me. In fact, thanks to UTS, I am currently working in a field that I am extremely passionate about.
Receiving the Gordon Young Memorial Scholarship was an incredible honour. It is truly a prestigious award. Previous students who have been fortunate enough to receive this award have demonstrated such interesting and diverse research projects and I am grateful to be listed amongst those high achievers.
Working on my Honours project has only furthered my passion for sport science. My Honours project is focused on understanding how biological maturation affects performance in youth Australian football and how this may influence talent identification and selection. The ultimate goal of this thesis is to improve talent identification and selection protocols within high-level youth Australian football, as talent selectors and coaches may be better informed on the complex nature of youth athlete development. It has also shown me what I want to do in the future. Professionally, my goal is to provide a link between sports medicine and sports science in order to provide more versatile and elaborate performance and rehabilitation interventions for athletes. To achieve this, I plan on studying a Master of Physiotherapy next year.
If you’re studying Sport and Exercise Science, make the most of every day for each subject! This includes interacting with lecturers and tutors during class, developing good study habits and meeting as many fellow students as possible. Surrounding yourself with likeminded people is invaluable. You are rewarded for your hard work whilst studying at UTS, so make sure you take as much out of the course as possible!
