Trust Board

Dr. Marcin Lipski

Exercise and Sport Scientist

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Associated Skills and Talents

•  Certified scientific and research skills to differentiate fact from fiction

•  Health, wellbeing (hauora) and performance expertise with evidence to back up how they are entwined.

•  14 years of coaching and mentoring experience, including disadvantaged tamariki and rangatahi.

 

 

Qualifications/Accomplishments 

•  PhD in Exercise and Sport Science from the Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.

•  MSc in Exercise Science and Coaching from the German Sports University Cologne, Germany.

•  BSc in Sports Performance from the German Sports University Cologne, Germany.

•  Scientific and peer-reviewed presentations at 6 different international conferences in the area of health, performance and wellbeing.

•  Eight peer-reviewed publications in exercise and sport science

Edith Cowan University International Postgraduate Research Scholarship 2014-2018
•  Edith Cowan University Research Travel Grant 2016

•  Twice 3rd Place 3-Minute Thesis Presentation at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.

 

 

 

Benefits, Skills and Talents brought to the Trust 

Talent has been shown to be a detrimental concept when considering any type of skill, ability and progress towards individual, group and organisational improvements. Talents are useless in the long term. What matters is knowledge and skill - which is what 2020 and the Covid19 pandemic should have taught us. Thus, I believe that I bring the highest quality of knowledge in the areas of health, performance and wellbeing, bundled together with 14+ years of experience in the exercise, sports and health world - and that from across 4 different countries and 3 continents.  

 

 

An example of an issue you see within your community regarding children and teenagers, and their lack of social opportunities and limited access to technology? An issue that I see quite often from a health, hauora and performance perspective is that we do not care about what our tamariki and rangatahi really are interested in. A lot of marketing, conceptual documents and even "KPI's" are often generated. Yet, many exercise, sports, health and wellbeing organisations do not even know what our youth would like to do. Furthermore, the investments in these areas are rarely evidence-driven. One such example is the integration of technology in leisure activities such as casual gaming and esports, which is almost demonised by everyone involved in "supporting" our youth. Nothing will ever happen if the major players are afraid of technology - although when it comes to mobile phone usage, they do not mind pushing the "healthy" usage boundaries a bit for themselves.  

 

 

How Marcin thinks children and teens can benefit from access to technology and social events in your community: There are more gamers out there than any other leisure activity. The benefits of engaging in an educational and supportive environment with technology and gaming are for me highlighted across all aspects of hauora (following e.g. Te Whare Tapa Whā or Te Wheke models): 
 

1. Taha tinana (physical health), despite often misunderstood, but any technological and gaming-related activities are the most challenging and best mental and neural stimulation available. They are so good that they are used in therapy for a lot of neural clinical conditions and even to improve pilots and surgeons. 

2. Taha wairua (spiritual health)

This is rather simple: our youth already believes and knows (they are so much ahead of us!) that technology and gaming are important - and it is imperative to them! It is what makes them who they are. Not supporting them in their endeavours is like taking away their life force.

3. Taha whānau (family)

Everyone they know uses technology for something, including their parents and grandparents! Yet, we see so much of "we want to protect them from it". Our youth gains identification, understanding and acceptance through activities like gaming. It builds their whānau, and we have to help them.

4.taha hinengaro (mental health)

 

 

Ultimate Goals and Objectives Marcin wishes to see accomplished with the Trust, and changes he wishes to see for children within the community as a result of the trusts actions: This is rather simple. Establish gaming as an accepted, supported and healthy leisure activity, with pathways to all levels of performance and professionalism.
 

Although many other countries have a massive advantage over New Zealand when it comes to esports, there are many issues around how casual gaming and esports are highlighted by the professional scene and its prominent figures. There are unhealthy, dangerous and simply ineffective approaches taken in the area of casual gaming and esports. I want to see this be done differently in New Zealand. Thus, I take upon myself the responsibility to build, support, and mentor casual gaming and esports scenes that are evidence-driven and focused on a holistic hauora approach!