From the sun-drenched beaches of the Gold Coast to the hallowed grounds of Stanford University, Bond’s Doctor of Physiotherapy students are making waves far beyond Australian shores.
In September 2024, Anastasia Krivonogova was one of four students from Bond’s Doctor of Physiotherapy program who travelled to Northern California to complete a five-week placement with Stanford University Sports Medicine, including a stint with the Stanford Cardinals college football team. Bondies shadowed and assisted athletic trainers and physiotherapists, helping athletes to recover from training and games, and treat and manage injuries.
Hitting the ground running
College football is the highest level of American football played in the USA below the professional NFL. During the season, 65 games are played each weekend in the top division alone. Games can be attended by more than 100,000 supporters - that’s the capacity of Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). College sports, run by the NCAA, generate more than $1 billion US dollars annually.
With over 16,000 students – compared to Bond’s 4,000 – the campus comparison was dramatic. “During orientation on day one, the athletic trainers took us around the campus on golf carts because it’s so big,” Anastasia explained.
“They said Stanford’s campus is one of the biggest in the world, and it’s three times the size of Central Park in New York City.”
Anastasia spent time working with the women’s beach volleyball team and the men’s basketball and baseball teams, but the majority of the five-week placement was spent with the football team, including travelling with them to Indiana for an away game against the University of Notre Dame – Stanford's longstanding rivals.
“We went with the team on the bus to the airport, on the plane flying out to Notre Dame, and then were with them during training and the game,” Anastasia said.
“It felt surreal to be part of such a big organisation and I was amazed by how many people are involved in travelling with a football team. It was a highlight of my experience for sure.”
Anastasia Krivonogova at Stanford University
Anastasia Krivonogova at Stanford University
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Hitting the ground running
College football is the highest level of American football played in the nation below the professional NFL. During the season, 65 games are played each weekend in the top division alone. Games can be attended by more than 100,000 supporters - that’s the capacity of Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). College sports, run by the NCAA, generate more than $1 billion US dollars annually.
With more than 16,000 students – compared to Bond’s 4,000 – the campus comparison was dramatic. “During orientation on day one, the athletic trainers took us around the campus on golf carts because it’s so big,” Anastasia explained.
“They said Stanford’s campus is one of the biggest in the world, and it’s three times the size of Central Park in New York City.”
Anastasia spent time working with the women’s beach volleyball team and the men’s basketball and baseball teams, but the majority of the five-week placement was spent with the football team, including travelling with them to Indiana for an away game against the University of Notre Dame – Stanford's longstanding rivals.
“We went with the team on the bus to the airport, on the plane flying out to Notre Dame, and then were with them during training and the game,” Anastasia said.
“It felt surreal to be part of such a big organisation and I was amazed by how many people are involved in travelling with a football team. It was a highlight of my experience for sure.”
Impactful lessons and international connections
The Stanford placement is one of seven clinical placements Bond physiotherapy students like Anastasia complete during their degrees.
Shadowing sports physiotherapists at the very top of their game, and getting hands-on experience with industry leading equipment, Anastasia is leaving Stanford with skills that will stay with her into her career.
“Working with the athletes and being exposed to varied injuries and challenges in different sports was interesting. It was a great experience to learn about common injuries and how they manage them,” she said. “In the physiotherapy clinic we worked with the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill, which was amazing, and also the eccentric loading machine."
“I know now that sports medicine is what I want to pursue.”
A long-time Bond physiotherapy placement partner, Stanford Sports Medicine were generous with their time and knowledge, ensuring the Bondies were welcomed as part of their team.
It didn’t take long for Anastasia to settle in and score new career connections. “I was nervous initially, working at my first home game” Anastasia said, “but once we were there and we set up the field, we got so much guidance and support from everyone.
“The athletic trainers were all very welcoming, they all wanted to connect with us on LinkedIn afterwards and said if we’re ever in the Stanford area again we should come by. Everyone was super friendly.”
Anastasia's journey to Bond
Anastasia was inspired to study physiotherapy when she was working as a kinesiologist at a physiotherapy clinic in Canada. Helping athletes – amateur and elite - to recover after injuries and return to playing sport motivated her to become a physiotherapist. The clinical placements embedded in the program was the main drawcard for Anastasia to leave Canada and travel across the world to Bond.
“I knew I’d get a lot of experience and be ready to start my career with confidence” Anastasia said, “and being a Doctor of Physiotherapy, it’s a high-level program, and I could also complete it in an accelerated timeframe of two years."
Bondies kicking global goals
Bond alumni working in international sporting codes include sport and exercise science alumnus Jesse Green, the Director of Performance and Sport Science at National Hockey League team the Pittsburgh Penguins, and formerly the Director of Performance and Sport Science at NBA team the Sacramento Kings. On America's east coast, alumnus Sam Coad is the Director of Performance at NFL team the New York Giants.
Other international placements previously offered by Bond’s physiotherapy program have included sports placements in New Zealand, Texas, hospital placements in Sweden and Canada, and musculoskeletal clinic placements in the US and Canada.
A range of placements across acute care, rehabilitation, musculoskeletal, paediatrics, women’s health, specialist acute care services and rural and remote settings are also offered across Australia.
Published on 11 December, 2024
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