Turning Data into Decisions: Building Australia's sports analytics workforce
Dr Minh Huynh, 2026
Purpose
The increasing use of data in sport has created a need for practitioners who can interpret complex information and translate it into responsible, evidence-based decisions. Elite and community sport now generate large volumes of data through wearable technology, video analysis, athlete management systems and performance databases, yet many sport and exercise scientists have limited accessible training in statistical and data science methods. Minh Huynh's work has aimed to close this capability gap by making advanced analytical tools practical, applied and accessible to students, sport scientists and industry partners.
Practice
Minh has contributed to the design and delivery of an authentic, industry-connected sport analytics education model. This began through the Master of Sport Analytics, the first program of its kind in Australia, designed to bridge theoretical statistical knowledge and practical industry application. The curriculum used real sport datasets, coding activities, dashboards, wearable technology, forecasting tasks, performance analysis problems and industry placements to help students develop the skills required of modern sport analysts. A key principle was accessibility: students came from diverse backgrounds, including sport science, commerce, mathematics and statistics, so teaching focused on making complex analytical ideas understandable through practical examples, collaborative problem-solving and authentic sport contexts. This model has since extended beyond enrolled students – through engagement with the Australian Institute of Sport, it informed the development of SPEEDS, an online resource designed to improve data science capability among sport and exercise scientists.
Output
The immediate outputs include a distinctive sport analytics curriculum, industry-based student projects, professional training for sport scientists, and online educational resources that can be used by all. The program received strong student satisfaction results, grew from a small initial cohort to a larger national program, and supported graduates into sport analytics roles. Industry partners including the Australian Institute of Sport, Victorian Institute of Sport, AFL clubs and international sporting organisations engaged through placements, projects and professional learning. The work was also recognised through a national teaching award (AAUT) and external grant funding, including Australian Institute of Sport support to develop educational resources for sport scientists.
Outcome
Students, graduates, sport scientists and industry partners have benefited through improved analytical capability, confidence and employability. Students gained experience working with real data, real organisations and real performance questions, making them better prepared for employment in a competitive sector. Sport organisations benefited from graduates and placement students who could contribute to operational decision-making, performance analysis and innovation.
Impact
The broader impact is the scaling of a teaching innovation into sector-wide capability building. By making advanced analytics more accessible to sport and exercise scientists, this work helps organisations use data more effectively, supports innovation in sport practice, and contributes to a stronger, more adaptable professional workforce – demonstrating how education can connect academic expertise with industry need, producing practical benefits for students, employers and the wider sport ecosystem.