Nelson was chosen to accompany CSU sports science figurehead Dr Stephen Bird to Indonesia as part of a Western Region Academy of Sport internship, where he had an eye opening experience working closely with the nation’s Ministry of Sport as they approach the December South East Asian Games.

Dr Bird has spent plenty of time in the Indonesian national set-up running a strength and conditioning program that involved work with the Beijing Olympic team. He is now heading up a push towards an improved showing at this year’s South East Asian meeting and the 2011 version which will be held in Jakarta.

“Ryan’s placement was part of a contract CSU has with the State Ministry for Youth and Sport in Indonesia, which was an initiative of CSU and WRAS and their strength and conditioning internship program,” Dr Bird explained.

“Part of my role is taking people over there to be involved in these placements. Ryan had a 14-day placement and had to complete two applied science sports research projects on Indonesian national athletes.

“The South East Asian Games are their equivalent I guess of the Commonwealth Games for us, and they will host the event in 2011 and the work we are doing now is designed to help them maximise their performance when that comes around.

“They were ranked fifth when we started, now they are ranked fourth and they hope to build that to second or third by the December Games and hopefully first by 2011.”

The human movement student worked with Tennis Indonesia during his trip as well as their boxing and Tae Kwon Do unit.

He spent much of the trip observing how Dr Bird and his 12-strong staff group operated with athletes and coaches, but also found time to get involved himself and assist with some of the work.

“It was a great learning experience, the biggest thing for me aside from just getting that experience was knowing now where and how I have to develop to become a successful strength and conditioning coach,” Nelson said.