NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Sports Dietitian Rebecca Haslam has won a prestigious award at the biannual Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA) Conference for excellence in mentoring.

Bec was presented with the award for her work in developing a two year program called the Sports Nutrition Accelerated Career Scheme (SNACS) after identifying a gap in high performance skills and knowledge in early career sports dietitians .

“I noticed a gap in the skills and knowledge of dietitians to work at an Institute like NSWIS and so created a two year program designed to fast track their development in high performance sport.

“The program is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of less experienced sports dietitians, to help them progress to high performance sport sooner. They get access to a mentor, opportunities to observe and assist with athletes from select sports and develop skill alongside an experienced sports dietitian.”

Over 150 sports dietitians descended on the Sunshine Coast for the conference to participate in a range of presentations about topics such as physique assessment in sport, dietary supplements and exercise-induced GI symptoms and the impact of sleep on performance.

Five NSWIS sports dietitians, including Holly Edstein, Sam Lewis, Ashleigh Brunner and Kelsey Coaldrake, were on hand to celebrate Bec’s achievement. Also in attendance was NSWIS graduate assistant, Clare Flower, who is the first person to participate in the SNACS program.

“I’ve been very fortunate to participate in this accelerated program to upskill myself in sports nutrition,” Clare said.

“It has exposed me to different opportunities and sporting environments – being able to observe people across different sports and disciplines.

“Watching Bec interact with the athletes has been a great learning opportunity for me, in the way she builds rapport but then provides all the knowledge she has and then educates the athletes to perform at their best has been invaluable.”

Through the program, Clare has visited the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra as well as NSWIS high performance hubs at Sydney Olympic Park, Narrabeen and Middle Harbour. She is also undertaking the International Olympic Committee diploma in sports nutrition, supported by NSWIS.

“The SNACS program is unique to a state institute and NSWIS is the first to have done this in the National Institute Network (NIN). It has been designed to be easily implemented by other state institutes and so that it grows into a national program,” Bec said.

“Ultimately is gets less experienced dietitians to a point where they are highly employable in any high performance organisation.”

The mentoring award Haslam received at the Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA) Conference was the first professional award she has ever received.

“To receive the acknowledgement from colleagues and other sports dietitians I look up to was really important to me. The work we do is to help athletes on their journey to world’s best, recognition is a nice added bonus.”

Frances Cordaro, NSWIS

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