2022 Academy News - April Edition

WSAS Ambassador Program Academy Games Highlights

Read about our athlete support program

Read about how our athletes went in Wagga Wagga

Athlete Spotlight Netball and Rowing athlete Olivia Harris has had a busy couple of months!

2022

ACADEMY

NEWS

|

APRIL

EDITION

WSAS News Welcome to the April 2022 edition of WSAS News.

This magazine was created by the Western Sydney Academy of Sport for the Greater Western Sydney community.

We hope you enjoy all the latest news, athlete insights, events, sponsor information and community engagement that this magazine strives to showcase.

Penrith Bluebet Stadium, 143 Station Street, Penrith 2750 (02) 4732 4977 www.wsas.com.au

Yes it's interactive!

ACADEMY NEWS

From the CEO

As we move well into 2022 (how time flies!) I have to say it has been highly rewarding to witness the resilience and strength of our athletes, staff and family supporters as we negotiated some extraordinary occurrences.

Having just returned from the 2022 Your Local Club Academy Games in beautiful Wagga Wagga, the excitement, enjoyment and development of our athletes was highly evident, with the Games acting as a timely reminder of what our purpose and key objectives are in delivering our pre-elite development programs.

Our talented young athletes competed against 10 other Academies from across NSW in Golf, Netball, Netball Umpires and Triathlon – supported by our wonderful coaching staff and many family members who made the journey to the Riverina region.

The Academy’s program offerings now include BMX, Cycling, Golf, Netball Umpiring, Netball, Softball, Rowing, Triathlon and Rugby Union –

plus a newly established Volleyball program about to commence following selection trials. These 10 programs should see the athlete scholarship numbers rise to 200 during the current year.

Whilst this is a healthy indicator for interest in and support for Academy programs, it also highlights the necessity to ensure our programs are of the highest standard featuring collaboration with relevant SSO’s, quality coaching staff, venues and education content.

The support of the NSW Government through the Office of Sport has been unwavering, and as we roll out our program operations, we are ensuring that the key deliverables required by the Office of Sport are aligned with our program content.

Whilst we have developed and delivered an enhanced strength and conditioning framework for our athletes, we are now focusing on Indigenous athlete talent identification and inclusion, as well as Athletes With a Disability inclusion.

Some fantastic news was also received recently following the execution of a partnership agreement with The Steadfast Group – Australia’s largest general insurance broker network and the largest group of insurance underwriting agencies in Australasia.

This exciting and beneficial partnership will assist the development of close to 3,000 young Academy athletes and 500 coaches across the NSW each year.

The partnership has three main projects which will deliver multiple outcomes in Academy communities: 1. The Annual Steadfast Regional Academy Awards and Athlete Well-Being Event 2. The Steadfast Athlete L.E.A.D program 3. The Steadfast Coach L.E.A.D program These are indeed innovative and exciting projects and will add higher value to all Regional Academy programs.

MARTIN BULLOCK CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

AMBASSADOR PROGRAM The Academy has established an athlete support program – entitled Academy Ambassadors – which provides an opportunity for Academy athletes to be supported by a local business, who in turn support the Academy with a small sponsorship fee.

The concept involves the business “sponsoring” and forming a relationship with our athletes.

This may be as simple as arranging for the athlete and family to meet the Ambassador – chat and have a photo taken that can be used in our and the business’s media platforms.

There may be an opportunity for the athlete to extend this relationship for other workplace attendances, media etc.

We are looking for small to medium sized businesses who would like to be involved in supporting and engaging with our talented young athletes.

Contact Mikayla (Marketing and Communications Officer) for more information on 0429 434 940 or mikayla@wsas.com.au

Sydney West Sports Medicine (SWSM) is the leading sports medicine and rehabilitation clinic in the Western Sydney region. Conveniently located within the renowned Sydney Gymnastics and Aquatic Centre at Rooty Hill, our team has access to a range of state-of-the-art facilities allowing us to provide superior services to improve the health, wellbeing and sporting abilities of athletes and everyday individuals in the local community.

Our wide range of services include Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology, Sports Medicine, Dietetics and Nutritional Advice, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic’s and Podiatry.

SWSM is passionate about supporting local sporting clubs and communities, which is why we are offering all Western Sydney Academy of Sport Athletes, Coaches and Support Staff a 15% VIP discount across all services, sports tape, and braces/guards for the next 12 months.

This discount can also be used for our Yong Athlete Program. Current research has shown that athlete development can take anywhere from 8-12 years of committed training for a “talented athlete” to achieve elite status. This research has led to the development of athletic models, which identify appropriate training techniques aimed at each stage of the athlete's physical development.

Our Framework implements the latest research by ensuring participants are tested, measured and follow the fundamental competencies that athletes must demonstrate at specific ages and stages of their sporting career. To find our more contact reception on 9851 5959 or click here to book online

NEW SPORTS PROGRAM UNDERWAY

Volleyball The Western Sydney Academy of Sport is excited to announce a new athlete development program for talented young Western Sydney Volleyball players! This innovative program will provide young athletes with opportunities to receive technical, educational, and personal development.

As a part of the program athletes will undertake Strength & Conditioning sessions as well as technical content based on the Volleyball New South Wales Curriculum.

Educational seminars will be held on topics such as Nutrition, Cyber Safety, Mental Health and Sport Psychology. Athletes participating in the development program will also undertake the Sports Integrity Australia starter courses in ‘Anti-Doping Fundamentals’ and ‘Ethical Decision Making’.

Throughout the duration of the program athletes will be provided the opportunity to compete against other Academies in early August at Netball Central in Sydney Olympic Park, be nominated for sports awards and receive promotion for their achievements on the Academy website and social media platforms.

The coaching staff roster includes; Dan Catchpoole (HC), Alexandra Wladkowski, Rob Gaspersic, Michael Shahi and David Gilmore.

Dan has a wealth of volleyball experience and coaching. He started playing volleyball back in the late 70s for Bowral High School, making the semi finals of the NSW Combined High Schools Knockout Competition in 1984, Dan continued to play volleyball in university but eventually dropped out. Fast forward to 2008 Dan started his coaching journey, offering volleyball lessons at his kids school, (The Wycliffe Christian School volleyball program has continued to this day with students being selected for state teams). Gaining his first coaching accreditation in 2012, Dan continued mastering the art of coaching and is now a mentor coach in the Spikeroos program.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Olivia Harris Digital Realty Netball Squad member and Rowing program alumni Olivia Harris is indeed a highly talented athlete.

In addition to her commitments with the WSAS Digital Realty Netball program, Olivia represents the Penrith District Netball Association in the Dooleys Metro 1 competition, is a training partner for the Panther Premier League Netball Team and is a member of the Penrith District Netball Association U17 SST team and Blue Mountains Grammar School Netball Team.

Recently graduating from the WSAS Rowing program, Olivia also competes with the Nepean Rowing Club High-Performance Junior Squad.

Racing at the NSW Rowing Championships at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in February, Olivia placed 4th in the U17 Single Scull event and setting a new personal best time by 30 seconds.

Following this accomplishment Olivia competed at the 2022 Australian Rowing Championships in the U17 Women's Single Scull Double Scull and Coxed Quad Scull events. Olivia showed a great effort in her first time competing at a nationals rowing event, making it to the semi finals for all events and Gold Medalist for the U17 Women's Coxed Quad Scull.

Olivia has recently attended the 2022 Academy Games in Wagga Wagga as part of the Digital Realty Netball Squad. Olivia showed a high skill level and was voted the MVP of the Academy's Division 1 team.

2022 ACADEMY GAMES HIGHLIGHTS

Digital Realty Netball The 2022 Academy Games campaign started on Friday night, with both our teams putting up a strong fight for their first games and this competitive spirit continued throughout the rest of the tournament.

Talking to the girls and the coaching staff over the weekend, they all agreed that the competition provided a lot of opportunities to develop their skills and they enjoyed playing against the other Academies. Special mention to Olivia Harris and Jessica Stevens who were awarded the MVP award for their effort during the tournament.

Digital Realty Netball Umpires Kahlie Flynn, Abbie May and Elyssa Noney attended the Academy Games as part of our umpire program.

The girls flourished at the opportunity to strengthen their skills and worked with umpires from other Academies to umpire games throughout the weekend. Congratulations to Elyssa who was awarded her National B Badge on Sunday after completing her practical assessment. Special mention to WSAS Umpire Coach Kiri Bowcock and Assistant Umpire Coach Anna Relyea for providing assistance and training to the girls in the lead up and during the Games.

2022 ACADEMY GAMES HIGHLIGHTS

Golf Our golfer athletes started their 2022 Academy Games campaign at Junee Golf Club on Saturday afternoon. Despite the overcast weather, our golfers' spirits were high and you could feel the buzz of excitement before the shotgun start. The squad performed well throughout the day and finished 1st in the Teams category with Noah Reitsma, Blake Hodges and Owen Brightman finishing in the top 10. The squad continued their campaign on day 2 at Wagga Wagga Country Club on Sunday morning.

Although the course presented some difficulties our golfers excelled and finished 3rd in the Teams category.

Triathlon

The Triathlon squad had a successful campaign at the Wagga Wagga Boat Club over the weekend. All athletes posted impressive race times with aweinspiring talent and dedication to their sport. Day 1 of the 2022 Academy Games campaign started with heats to qualify for finals that were held in the afternoon. Special congratulations goes out Ethan Mackie – Gold medalist Youth Male, Lucie Francis – Gold medalist Junior Female and Matthew Engesser – Gold medalist Para-triathletes. Day 2 saw the mixed relay team event take place. Athletes Lucie Francis, Leila Dickson, Matthew Engesser and Ethan Mackie made up the WSAS team placed 5th. Other members of the WSAS squad also competed in the relay event in a variety of blended Academy and individual teams. Special mention to squad members Lily Connell and Tayha Herrett for coming to support the squad despite not being able to compete. All of the athletes should be proud of themselves and how they represented the WSAS community.

ACADEMY ALUMNI UPDATE

Sophie Wilson - Canoe Slalom The past couple of years can only be described as a roller coaster for WSAS alumni Sophie Wilson with multiple injuries and the effects of the global pandemic.

Unfortunately, Sophie injured her wrist while competing at the 2019 World Championships in Spain requiring surgery. Following her rehab from her wrist injury she then suffered a ruptured disc in her back that required another surgery and an even longer rehab. As a result of her injuries, Sophie only managed to get roughly 6 months of training within a two year period.

Sophie had finally recovered from her injuries and was able to start spending more time on the water late last year before being struck down by COVID, slowing down her training progress for the upcoming competitions.

Sophie was finally fit enough to participate in the Australian Opens and Oceania Championships that were held early this year in Penrith. Competing in the C1 and K1 classification at both events, Sophie showed her fighting spirit and executed some amazing runs through the course, an incredible accomplishment with the barriers she has faced in the past couple of years.

SOFTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPS 26 Western Sydney Academy of Sport athletes and alumni have recently competed in Softball National Championships across the ACT and NSW In the U14 competition held at Hawker International Softball Centre Riley Jessup, Kate Blanning and Khalia Vai-Moeroa Evagelia Daniel competed for the NSW Country Sliders team. McKenzie Newson, Jonathan Fabar, Jordan Micallef and Liam McRae competed for the NSW Metro Strikers team. Alisha Whitaker, Amelia Manks, Imogene Taylor, Kara Cassidy and Tanika Terkildsen competed for the NSW Metro Slammers Team, in addition to members of the squad playing for the Metro Slammers, Assistant Coach Donna McGrath took up the Head Coach position of the U14 Girls team.

In the U18 competition held at Blacktown International Sports Park Academy alumni Oscar Atkins, Markus Robar and Amelia Cousins competed for NSW, Cooper Easthorpe played for Victoria.

In the U16 competition held at Blacktown International Sports Park Academy alumni Bradley McCarthy, Dru Senituli, Jacynta Eisermann, Angelique Iredale, Jayda Lorigan, Ciara Saunby and Brooke Thomas competed for NSW, current program participant Xavier Lachat and alumni Brodie Jessup competed for SA. Both the Women's and Men's NSW teams won their competitions and were awarded the Esther Deason Shield (Women's) and Arthur Allsopp Shield (Men's).

Academy program alumnus Angelique Iredale (2019-2021) was awarded the U16 Girls Best Batter award, and Brooke Thomas (2019-2021) was awarded the U16 Girls Best Pitcher Award.

Special mention to Assistant Coach Matt Beach for being selected in the umpire squad for the U16 and U18 National Championships in Blacktown International Sportspark.

A MONUMENTAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN REGIONAL ACADEMIES OF SPORT AND STEADFAST GROUP

The Western Sydney Academy of Sport is excited to announce that the Regional Academies of Sport has commenced a new and exciting partnership with Steadfast Group.

This partnership will see Steadfast become the primary supporter and naming rights partner of the Annual Steadfast Regional Academy Awards and Athlete Wellbeing Event and the Steadfast LEAD Program that provides athlete and coach's with leadership, education and athlete development opportunities.

“With Steadfast following the success of UAA’s aboriginal talent ID days across the region, it simply made sense for the NSW regional Academies to reach out to Steadfast. This program is an investment in our regional young future leaders which will see direct outcomes resulting in strong leaders, job-ready future generations and most importantly our next crop of Olympians receiving quality coaching and development preparing them as we look forward to Brisbane Olympics in 2032.” Chair of RAS, Brett O’Farrell said.

Steadfast Group is the largest general insurance broker network and the largest group of insurance underwriting agencies in Australasia, with growing operations in Asia and Europe.

READ ABOUT OUR ATHLETES AND ALUMNI IN THE LOCAL PAPERS

Nepean News 1 April 2022

Nepean News 1 April 2022

Nepean News 8 April 2022

Nepean News 15 April 2022

Western Weekender 1 April 2022

Western News 15 April 2022

BMX ATHLETES SELECTED IN INAUGRAL AUSCYCLING DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY

Alumni Milan Bradshaw and members of the current BMX program Danielle Flemming, Sam Liston Dennis, Jacob Meyers, AJ Donald and Kasy Saliba have been selected for the inaugural AusCycling Development NSW/ACT Academy.

The Academies were formed as a component of the AUSCycling pre-performance rider development pathway, the Academies seek to identify, develop and support riders to gain the attributes needed to progress through the performance pathways.

The purpose of the Academies is to Provide targeted training sessions/camps Enhance and complement the primary daily training environment (DTE) Develop consistent development opportunities across all States and Territories Increase the number of riders meeting key performance targets Provide cross-discipline opportunities The NSW/ACT Academy will be coached by Professional rider Leanna Curtis and Aiden Nemit, assisted by Kai Sakakibara. Congratulations to the riders selected, it is an amazing opportunity and we can’t wait to see where the future takes you.

Read more about the Academies here

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