Sport has always been a big part of James Levick’s life, but in between his corporate role with the Australian Taxation Office and a brief stint serving in the Australian Army, there wasn’t a lot of room for him to take his passion to the next level.
“I thought in another life I'd probably pursue a pathway in sports development because I’ve always enjoyed playing and watching sport, and exercise and fitness has always made me feel great,” he said.
So, when the COVID-19 lockdowns hit and the doors to explore this parallel reality were flung wide open, he enrolled in a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science at UNE.
“I like what I do, but I had one of those moments where I asked myself, ‘if I could go back to the start knowing everything I do now, what would I have done differently?’” he says. “I figured there was no better time to start that second journey!”
I am fascinated by all the highly unique and individual responses we have to exercise and how practitioners can craft programs that help individuals to find their optimal best.
From there, James opened his laptop and began a three-year online study journey from his home in Newcastle, NSW.
Fast forward to today, and he’s now a qualified sport scientist after graduating at UNE’s Winter ceremony on campus in Armidale.
“Studying a science-related discipline was totally different for me than what I've usually studied,” he says.
“There was a different vocabulary, way of writing and way of structuring arguments than in a business-related field, so there was some challenge in adapting my brain to that more scientific language.”
Despite it being a whole new ball game, he found exercise science to be a perfect match.
Image: James about to receive his testamur.
“One of my downfalls is that I try to optimise everything (to my wife's annoyance!), so I’ve found I’ve been able to really hone this into sports performance, which is a scene where there is so much room for tweaks and minor improvements to make someone just that little bit more effective.”
“I am fascinated by all the highly unique and individual responses we have to exercise and how practitioners can craft programs that help individuals to find their optimal best.”
As a self-proclaimed procrastinator, study wasn’t always a walk in the park for James. He says discipline and organisation helped ensure he could go that extra mile.
“Due tomorrow, do tomorrow, right?” he says. “This was my mindset in my previous degrees, but that wasn't going to work this time.
“Mapping out all of the deliverables for the semester on the magic calendar is always a must, and knocking out assessments extra early where there was a quiet weekend saved a lot of stress.
“Staying disciplined got me into a good habit and workflow as well and overcame my inner procrastinator.”
Testamur in hand and a Vice Chancellor’s Scholar Award to top it off, James plans to use his degree to strengthen the development of young athletes in the Hunter.
One of my downfalls is that I try to optimise everything (to my wife's annoyance!), so I’ve found I’ve been able to really hone this into sports performance, which is a scene where there is so much room for tweaks and minor improvements to make someone just that little bit more effective.
“My placement opportunities really opened my eyes to the thriving youth development scene here in Newcastle,” he says.
“We're a city with a big catchment of talented athletes and sports people, and while being urban still has a lot of advantages, we lack some of the resources and facilities that the capital cities might have.
“I'm looking to continue building my knowledge and training in strength and conditioning, hopefully with a view to becoming increasingly active in developing local young athletes.”
