Associate Professor Mark Sayers gained his PhD in Sports Biomechanics from RMIT in 2001. His thesis investigated the role various aspects of strength play in determining rowing technique and performance. Dr Sayers joined the University in 2005, having worked as a sports scientist since the 1980’s. He has an extensive background in the biomechanics of team sports, technique analysis, and the development of sports specific speed and power.
Mark is an extremely experienced and popular lecturer, having held academic positions in sport science since the late 1980’s. He is a Senior Fellow of the HEA and in 2012 received a national Office of Learning and Teaching Citation. In 2010 he was voted one of the top ten lecturers in the country.
Dr Sayers has been a consultant biomechanist and coach for several national and international high profile sporting bodies and is recognised internationally for his work on the key skills in the sport of rugby union. He was the biomechanist and special skills coach for the New Zealand All Blacks between 2000 and 2001 and again from 2004 to 2008 and was credited as being a key aspect of the team’s success over that period. He is an ESSA Level 2 Accredited Sport Scientist and current Director of the University's High Performance Sport programme.
Associate Professor Sayers’ research interests centre around three main themes, all of which focus on technique analysis. The first focuses on conducting research to enhance sporting performance, while the second looks primarily on investigating the modifiable risk factors surrounding injury. His other area of research focuses on joint kinematics and kinetics, with a particular emphasis on the knee and shoulder joints.
He has a keen interest in change of direction tasks and agility based sports, with a particular interest in the development of sport specific agility and change of direction tests (and training session) for netball and the various football codes. Mark’s background in coaching means that his research typically has a strong translational element.
Dr Sayers has over 100 peer reviewed publications in scientific journals, has authored or co-authored 8 book chapters, and has presented at more than 40 national and international conferences. He has been a key investigator in grants that have brought nearly $900,000 into the University and has supervised more than 50 HDR students through to completion.
Current HDR student projects are:
- Using behavioural profiling of coaches, captains and playmaker positions to understand, inform and improve performance in team sports
- An exploration of the links between training and game load monitoring data and the incidence of concussion in national level rugby league players
- Tapering in Elite Swimmers: Determining the most effective tapering strategies to optimise performance
- Effect of specific demands of combat on the biomechanical aspects of Taekwondo kicks
- Clinical and Radiographic Outcome Score Study (CROSS) in Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty (RSA)
- Changes in ACL cross-sectional area during rehabilitation from ACL reconstructive surgery
- Development of computer vision and pose estimation toolsets to improve coaching outcomes for junior sports.
- Investigating the validity and reliability of various neck strength testing protocols for reducing the incidence of sports-related concussions
Research Grants
|
Grant/Project name |
Investigators |
Funding body & A$ value |
Year(s) |
Focus (of research grant) |
| Kinetic Orthotics®: Move without Pain™ | Sayers, M. & Burkett, B. | CSIRO Innovation Connections Grant, Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, $121,136 | 2016 | |
| Applying a connectedness learning model to develop a networked approach to lifelong graduate employability at USC | Goldsmith, B., Sayers, M. English, P., McIntyre, J. Scheepers, R. & Bridgstock, R | USC Commissioned Learning and Teaching Grant, $29,800 | 2016 | |
| Reliability and validity study for the assessment of lateral trunk strength – The Modified Obers Test | Pesu, J., Mellifont, D. & Sayers M | Sunshine Coast Health Service Wishlist Grant, $9,904 | 2016 | |
| An investigation into the influence of differing levels of representativeness on landing technique in sport | Gorman, A., Stuelken, M., Mellifont, D. & Sayers, M | Centre of Excellence for Applied Sport Science Research, Queensland Academy of Sport, Queensland Government, $10,000 | 2015 | |
| Exploring the collaborative advantage of a partnership model between the University of the Sunshine Coast and community junior sports clubs | Sayers, M., Stevenson, T. & Brown, M. | University Engagement Grant, $7474 | 2013 | |
| A biomechanical analysis of throwing using spear throwers: A 21st Century examination of 17,000 year-old technology | Sayers M, Neill H, Czok C, Gould S, Calder A. | USC Internal Research Grant, $4,500 | 2010 | |
| Towards an understanding of Neutral Spine Posture (NSP) to health and wellness: The role of postural cues in the attainment of NSP | Mellifont D, Sayers M, Richardson C. | USC Internal Research Grant, $5,000 | 2009 | |
| The biomechanics of lawn bowls | Sayers M, Mellifont R. | USC Internal Research Grant, $15,000 | 2008 | |
| Biomechanical analysis of rugby skills | Sayers M | New Zealand Rugby Union, $25,000 | 2007 | |
| Biomechanical determinants of agility in rugby union | Sayers, M. | New Zealand Rugby Union, $65,000 | 2007 | |
| Pathology of shoulder injury in high performance rugby union players | Sayers M, Hore A, Gallagher P, Robertson D, Jones A, Mohammad K. | New Zealand Prime Minister’s Scholarship, $90,000 | 2007 | |
| Functional gait analysis as a screening tool for the prediction of soft tissue injury in high performance rugby players | Sayers M, Mellifont R. | USC Internal Research Grant, $3,892 | 2005 | |
| Physiological and biomechanical responses to pedometer guided walking in older adults | Askew A, Sayers M. | USC Internal Research Grant, $3,892 | 2005 | |
| Strength requirements for high performance rowing | Hahn A, Sayers M, Tanner R. | Australian Olympic Athlete Program, $20,000 | 1997 | |
| Biomechanical analyses of surfboard paddling | Draper J, Sayers M | National Sports Research Program, $5,000 | 1986 | |
| Biomechanical analysis of surf-ski and surfboard paddling | Draper J, Sayers M. | Rothman’s Foundation, $5,000 | 1986 |
Research areas
- Biomechanics of team sports
- Biomechanics of rugby union
- Performance analysis
- Agility training and assessment
- Spinal biomechanics
Teaching areas
Mark's specialist areas of knowledge include: exercise science, biomechanics, rugby union, gait analysis, performance, analysis, team sports, strength, power training