A Townsville physical training instructor (PTI) behind a program that almost doubled workforce availability was named one of the coaches of the year by a strength-and-conditioning peak body last month.
Corporal Tim Kain won the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association's peer-nominated Tactical and Occupational Performance Australia coach of the year at an awards ceremony in Brisbane on November 9.
"It was awesome and a very big surprise," Corporal Kain said.
"I'm very grateful and thankful for my colleagues who put my name forward."
The Tactical and Occupational Performance category includes coaches working in Defence and emergency services.
Corporal Kain is only the second person to receive the award. He is the lead for a strength and conditioning program called MOVFIT, specifically designed for the movements workforce prone to knee and back injuries.
Since MOVFIT's national rollout, there have been fewer instances of personnel missing work because of injury, with availability more than doubling from 30 per cent to more than 70 per cent.
PTIs run two in-person sessions a week and post workouts to TeamBuildr, a strength and conditioning app for personnel with scheduling issues.
Corporal Kain manages strength and conditioning programs in Townsville as well as coordinating operations nationally.
"We're seeing increases with attendance and testing," Corporal Kain said.
"I think holistically the program's in a better place than it was at the start of the year.
"Educating the workforce and consistency of physical training have been the two biggest impacts to improving performance and availability whilst reducing preventable injury."
The Australian Strength and Conditioning Association is the accrediting body for strength and conditioning coaches in Australia, recognised by the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport.
