Geelong Cats are this week celebrating the role of science and maths in football for National Science Week, with players and students embracing innovation at Monday’s BioCATS session at GMHBA Stadium.
Cats stars Patrick Dangerfield and Kate Darby joined students from Buninyong Primary School at the Deakin Cats Community Centre at GMHBA Stadium for a special session of BioCATS, diving into the 2023 National Science Week theme of ‘Innovation: Powering Future Industries’.
Planned and executed between the Geelong Football Club and BioLAB: Victorian Bioscience Education Centre, and proudly supported by Bisinella Developments, the BioCATS learning program aims to educate students outside the classroom, discovering the application of science and maths in real-life scenarios at an elite level of football.
Students complete a range of activities, from GPS data collection and analysis to ‘draft camp’ challenges, encompassing the science and maths of football with a healthy twist.
The program, which is now in its 12th year, has been delivered to more than 15,000 students, with schools travelling from across Victoria to GMHBA Stadium to take part.
Geelong Cats Head of Community Will McGregor said BioCATS offered a unique experience to students.
“BioCATS has introduced a generation of students to the STEM side of football, powering imaginations and inspiring students interested in footy, science and maths with the future career options available to them,” McGregor said.
“We’re thrilled to see Patrick and Kate be part of the program today – it is always a special part of Cats Community programs when we see children interact with the footy stars they look up to. We thank Bisinella Developments for their incredible support of the program.”
Bisinella Developments, one of the region’s largest land development companies, has been a proud sponsor of BioCATS since 2015.
Bisinella Developments Director Richard Bisinella said the organisation was proud to continue supporting the local schools’ program, which targets the younger generation.
“The program provides students with a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the benefits of being active and participating in sport in a fun and interactive environment,” Mr Bisinella said.
BioLAB Director Yvonne Van Der Ploeg said National Science Week is a wonderful way to celebrate the impact of science and maths on the game of football and the success of the BioCATS program.
“We are so proud of the BioCATS program and what is has been able to achieve over the past 12 years. Putting cutting edge technology in the hands of students and real-world examples of science and maths in action.
“Today is a celebration of how science innovation has impacted football, but also a celebration of the impact that the program has had on a generation of students.
“It might only take a small spark of inspiration to ignite a lifetime of interest in science and mathematics throughout a student’s schooling, or even their career. We want to capture the imagination of students and draw a clear link between science, maths and the real world.”