April 18, 2018

Special celebration for graduates of league

Balancing study and sport pays off for Dragons players. 

A win on the field last weekend was the cherry on top for St George Illawarra Dragons NSW Cup players Ash Nisbet, Jack Payne and Stu Mason, who will today (Wednesday 18 April) celebrate their graduations from the University of Wollongong (UOW).

Ash and Stu expressed relief about coming to the end of a three-year juggling act, both graduating with a Bachelor of Exercise Science. Jack graduated with a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education.

All three players credit the UOW Graduates of League (GOL) program with getting them through the tough times and providing much needed support, particularly during rugby league season when class times often clashed with training and game requirements.

“Balancing full-time study with footy commitments and part-time jobs on the side was pretty tough, but the GOL program really helped with that extra level of support with organising my life,” Jack said.

“They helped me prioritise what I needed to do and when I needed to do it by – I always made sure I got the work done but the extra help was great.”

The GOL program was established in 2012 as a way to increase the university entry, retention and completion rates of elite athletes and professional sports people.

The program provides athletes with support from the university as they balance rigorous training schedules and travel commitments with tertiary studies.

For Stu, a move from Coffs Harbour to study at UOW and play for the Dragons NSW Cup side was hard, but not impossible.

“I threw myself in the deep end and made myself get through it,” he said.

“I found it difficult when the footy boys would go home to a home-cooked meal, or have their parents around to help – mine were always a phone call away but learning to live on your own threw in a whole new experience.

“The tutoring and extra support on the side (through the GOL program) was one of the main reasons I kept going back each session and graduated on time.”

Ash balanced his studies at UOW with three club changes in three years, spending time with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Wests Tigers and more recently the St George Illawarra Dragons.

‘I really enjoyed the practical classes in my degree and the placement hours. I actually got offered a job out of my last placement,” Ash said.

“The degree also helped me understand some of the training principles I was applying in my footy, which was great.”

Over the past six years, the UOW GOL program has supported 73 rugby league players from six clubs, with 16 graduations celebrated. Five more players are expected to graduate in the coming year.