Running Strong

Sport researcher Dick Telford, developing physical literacy in Australian children

Sport scientist and Olympic coach Dick Telford joins UC as a Professorial Fellow

Dick Telford AM is a man of many sporting talents. He is a former Australian Rules footballer, cricket player and coach, a leading Australian sport scientist and distance running coach to many Olympians, including Australia's only marathon medallist. Now, he has added professorial fellow at the University of Canberra to his long list of impressive qualifications.

Professor Telford's role at the University is firmly focused on interdisciplinary research – an area he has a lot of experience in – and will see him working across the University to reach a number of goals in areas associated with both sport and health.

"I think UC is an excellent venue to conduct interdisciplinary research, particularly linking physical activity with health and sport. The disciplines of psychology, physiology, biomechanics, education and nutrition are all important contributors to preventive medicine and public health and there are highly skilled staff in all these areas at UC," Professor Telford says.

His role at the University is linked with his work as director of the LOOK study, which started in 2005 and is tracking participants from age eight to 80. With 32 publications in peer reviewed journals from the LOOK research team, the study demonstrates the vital role physical education and activity plays on the physical and psychological health of children.

He is also setting up new collaborative plans between the University of Canberra, the ANU and the Clinical Trials Unit at the Canberra Hospital to continue the study. Professor Telford and the director of the Clinical Trials Unit, cardiologist Walter Abhayaratna, also a strong advocate for developing physical literacy in children, are co-directing the next phase of the LOOK project as the children move through adolescence into early adulthood.

The LOOK study forms the basis for an ambitious new University of Canberra based project involving schools in the ACT and interstate which aims to improve the "physical literacy" of primary school aged children. "Physical literacy is about developing the skills and fitness to facilitate an active lifestyle as well as understanding the value of physical activity to our health. Developing physical literacy from an early age in all children is certainly something I'm passionate about."