ACPE boasts state-of-the-art facilities on campus and it was clear, in Semester One Pre COVID-19, that our students were certainly making the most of the ACPE gym in 2020. As a College that specialises in Sport, Health, Fitness, Education, and Dance, our students and staff are naturally passionate about physical activity. The ACPE gym has been open for students to use outside of class time for two years, with 2020 being the third year. Each year, there has been an influx of students making use of the gym and enjoying the benefits that are associated with keeping active.
With such growth at the start of the year, for 2020 ACPE staff decided to remove the small membership fee that students had to previously pay. Hagan Butler, Student Engagement Manager at ACPE, geared this decision around providing accessible opportunities for ACPE students to put into practice what they learn in the classroom. Due to COVIDSAFE protocols, some restrictions have been placed on the availability and access to the gym. A maximum of 7 participants are allowed in the gym outside of class times. To access the gym, All students are required to first complete a gym induction and then will need to book in for a one-hour session at least one day in advance to ensure these protocols are maintained. The gym is available for our students to access Tuesday – Friday according to the times outlined on the bookings page.
We are delighted to be able to offer this service to students so they can enjoy the benefits of keeping active in a COVID safe way at ACPE. Hagan stating that “So far in 2020, when the campus was open before COVID restrictions it was difficult to find a time when a student wasn’t using the gym. After three weeks of free access, we saw gym use exponentially increase, compared to this time last year. To put it in perspective, in 2019 we had approximately 40 students sign up for and complete a gym induction all year. Compared with the first three weeks of Semester One 2020, we had over 150 students sign up for and complete a gym induction. By introducing the open gym times on campus in a COVID safe way, we hope that the gym continues to become a foundation for our community to interact and thrive.”
ACPE have hired recent graduate James Galea in a causal role as the ACPE Gym Supervisor. James, who studied Sports Coaching majoring in Strength and Conditioning and graduated in 2019, has experience with leading organisations such as Penrith Panthers, Sydney Thunder, North Sydney Bears and GWS Giants. Playing a key role in linking the student body to the ACPE gym, James is enjoying being back on campus, saying “It is great to be involved in College life again. It’s a good opportunity for me to give back to ACPE and help out the staff and their peers.” When asked about his role with ACPE, James shared “The ACPE Gym is a first-class facility with every piece of equipment you need, experienced and qualified staff to help individuals and great accessibility. I’m really enjoying the role. It’s great to be able to work in a gym. It’s great to help coach and develop individuals in their training. It also enables me to grow as a coach and individual by helping and learning from the variety of individuals I get to speak to.” James is also available for 1-on-1 consults during open gym times to discuss training options, programming and anything gym or performance-related (click here to book in a one on one consult).
The ACPE Student Engagement Team are always open to hearing any suggestions from our students about new programs or ideas. Do not hesitate to contact Hagan or James if you have any suggestions. We look forward to welcoming you back on campus for a workout!
