VU students, Christopher Little and Jake Kearsley, have been recognised by SAHOF Chairman, John Bertrand, for their exceptional performance as part of Sport and Culture summer school placements at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF).
The pair successfully re-scoped elements of the SAHOF Selection Committee documentation and process, leading to an invitation to a two-day meeting of the committee – comprised of Robert de Castella, Bruce McAvaney, Raelene Boyle, Alan Davidson, Roy Masters, Alan Whelpton, Mike McKay and Louise Savage – where they proved a valuable resource, according to Bertrand.
Bertrand called the program “a win-win for both VU and SAHOF” that provides a unique opportunity for SAHOF to help set the course above those offered by other universities.
Participants in the College of Sport and Exercise Science summer school explore various aspects of sport history with special access to rare objects and archives, and research support from VU staff.
Sport historian and program manager, Dr Rob Hess, said summer school students got a deeper understanding of the research process and a taste of the postgraduate research experience.
VU also partners with the Western Bulldogs AFL club for the program, with a select group of students given exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the club’s treasure trove of objects and artefacts in order conduct detailed investigations.
The Bulldogs program, which has been running for a few years now, has produced some fascinating sporting history.
“Students find interesting snippets of history about the social side of the club, the scandals or controversies that often erupted, and the amazing rivalries that particular players or teams had with other clubs,” Dr Hess said.
