Australia’s new water ski champion Casey Wooderson is determined to represent her country on the world stage, while pursuing a career as a Native Title lawyer.
The Indigenous athlete from Coolum credits the University of the Sunshine Coast’s High Performance Student Athlete program for supporting her, while she balances an intense training schedule and a double degree in Business and Law.
Wooderson produced strong performances in slalom, trick and jump to secure the national title at the Australian Water Ski Championships at Mulwala, New South Wales, earlier this year.
She said the result was an unexpected thrill.
“I only decided to nominate in the trick event the day before the competition started which allowed me to qualify for the overall award.”
Wooderson took up water skiing as a six-year-old and competed in her first race aged eight.
Riding high on her recent success, she said her next goal was to be selected for Australia, for the World Open Water Ski Championships.
She has already worn the green and gold for Australia while in high school, representing the nation at the World Junior Water Ski Championships in Peru in 2014 and Chile in 2016.
Wooderson, who is a member of the Dunghutti People from the Kempsey area, started chasing academic and sporting success when she moved from Coffs Harbour to study at USC after completing high school.
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“I wanted to take my sport to the next level by working under coaching director Emma Sheers at OZ Ski Resort at Coolum,” she said.
“Emma is a multiple winner of every major water ski title, including two world slalom championships and two world jump championships.
“I chose USC due to its reputation, location and facilities.
“However, it was not until I had enrolled that I discovered I was eligible to join the High Performance Student Athlete (HPSA) Program.”
The program is designed to help elite and emerging athletes achieve at the highest level in study, research, training and competition, with purpose-built facilities and support from world-leading coaches, performance development specialists and sport and exercise scientists.
“I don’t believe I would have been able to get to where I am without this program,” she said.
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“Having the flexibility to fit in assessments around training and competition schedules, and the support I receive from those involved in the HPSA program, makes such a difference.”
Part of her training schedule involves working with USC physical performance coach Aaron Turner, who has developed a conditioning program to target the muscles she uses in water skiing to ensure peak athletic performance.
“Water skiing is a sport of both skill and strength, so the program is focused on building my lower and upper body strength and endurance, as well as improving agility and balance,” she said.
Now in her third year of studies, her career goal is to work as a lawyer in the Indigenous sector, specialising in Native Title and human rights.
For more information about studying at USC and the HPSA program go to www.usc.edu.au/high-performance-sport, visit USC’s interactive online Open Day (www.usc.edu.au/open-day) or attend an on-campus ‘Meet USC event’ on August 1.
For details and to register for Meet USC go to www.usc.edu.au/meet-usc
