Some of the best athletes from throughout the western region will converge into Blayney to trial for the 2009/10 WRAS Netball squad. Over fifty two athletes and coaches will attend the trial on Sunday 16 August at the Centrepoint Sport and Leisure Facility in Blayney.

The day will begin with trials for the 15 Years Squad during the morning and conclude with the WRAS Netball Squad trials. The training will involve individual and sport specific skills and will incorporate games during the on court sessions.

The selected 15 Years team will travel to Homebush on 3 & 4 October to take part in a tournament to compete against athletes from across the state.

Athletes selected in the WRAS Squad will commence their scholarship with the Academy in November.

WRAS Executive Officer said, “The trials will provide young athletes with the opportunity to work with experienced coaching staff and show their sporting talent in order to be selected in either the 15 years team or WRAS squad.”

The Western Region Academy of Sport is seeking applicants for squad coaching and management positions for 2010 sport programs. There are positions available for assistant coaches, satellite coaches, apprentice coaches and managers. Applicants can nominate to work with the WRAS basketball, hockey, lawn bowls, netball or triathlon squads.

Squad staff are expected to attend all sessions throughout the course of the program. Coaching applicants are required to have at least beginner coaching principles qualifications, and all squad staff must be enthusiastic, committed, flexible and have a positive outlook. A flyer with further information is available from the WRAS website downloads section along with the draft programs for the five sports (http://wras.org.au/downloads/).

WRAS Executive Officer said ‘being a member of WRAS squad staff is a great opportunity to coach some of the best sportspeople from the western region and NSW. Many past and present WRAS coaches have gone on to work with NSW, Australian and Institutes of Sport teams and athletes following their involvement with the Academy’.

To be considered for a position, applicants need to send a written expression of interest to the Academy via email fjames@csu.edu.au stating their name, position interested in and contact details by 6 September 2009. For more information, please contact the Academy on 6338 4821.

The Western Region Academy of Sport is currently calling for applications from talented junior sportspeople for the 2010 Lone Star squad. The Lone Star program is a fantastic opportunity the Academy provides for athletes participating in any sport recognised by NSW Sport and Recreation.

Lone Star scholarships are for athletes who are achieving at least at a NSW representative level and who aspire to reach the highest possible level in their given sport.

Recent WRAS lone star athletes include golfer Kate Thomas (now on scholarship at the University of North Carolina in the USA), star hockey player Jade Warrender who is currently in Boston competing in the Junior World Championships as a member of the Australian team, amateur golfer Ben Webb and cross-country athlete Emma Statham.

To be eligible to apply for a scholarship, athletes should be aged between 14-18 years of age (at 1 Jan 2010), be living or gaining an education in the western region of NSW, be competing in a sport recognised by the NSW Sport and Recreation and be committed to self improvement. The selection process involves an initial application (now available on the WRAS website) followed by an interview, if required.

Following selection a program is formulated for each athlete on an individual basis. Services the Academy can offer include physical testing and monitoring, sports science support, media skills training, time management, personal development, speed and agility training, coaching, access to NSW Institute of Sport facilities and personnel and possible funding assistance following athlete’s first year in program. Additionally every athlete will have their Functional Movement Screening completed, receive their own Strength and Conditioning program and regular consultations with the WRAS Strength and Conditioning Interns.

The 2010 squad will be coordinated by CSU Human Movement Studies student Anna Coughlan who is eager to build on the program and help each athlete achieve their potential by providing the combination of services that best suits the individual, whilst still creating a team environment for the squad.

Academy Executive Officer, Nancy Haslop said “The Lone Star program is shaping an extremely valuable and rewarding program for talented athletes in the western region. Many of the excellent services available to lone star athletes are due to our relationship with the School of Human Movement Studies at CSU and their excellent staff and facilities. The personalised approach to development that we offer these athletes will ensure they are given the best opportunity to achieve their individual potential and be a part of the WRAS team.”

For more information on the 2010 Lone Star program call the Academy on 6338 4821 or visit www.wras.org.au. Application forms are available on the web site in the ‘downloads’ tab and applications close Monday 24 August.

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Triathlon NSW and the Western Region Academy of Sport are proud to announce that John Hickey, highly experienced and well respected NSW coach, will be head coach at the 2009 Triathlon Rookie Camp. The three day camp will be held from Friday 10 July to Sunday 12 July at Charles Sturt University, Bathurst.

John comes with a wealth of experience being Triathlon NSW’s Assistant Coach, Northern Inland Academy of Sport’s (NIAS) Head Coach and has become very well known for his coaching success throughout NSW.

WRAS’ executive officer, Nancy Haslop said, “It is a great opportunity for Western Region athletes and coaches to train alongside John. His immense experience will allow the triathletes to gain vital skills and training techniques over the three days.”

For more information on the Triathlon Rookie Camp or WRAS program please contact the Academy office as soon as possible on 6338 4821.

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In July 2009, the Western Region Academy of Sport is conducting Rookie Camps for Basketball, Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Netball and Triathlon.

All of these residential camps will provide ‘rookie’ athletes with the opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge in a fun learning environment. The camps also act as a pre selection trial for the WRAS 2010 squads.

The camps will be held in the July school holidays and athletes and coaches will stay on campus of Charles Sturt University, Bathurst. Ages for camps are set by State Sporting Organisation’s and can be found in the camp information packs on the WRAS website at www.wras.org.au in the ‘download’ section.

Due to clashes with other Hockey NSW events, dates for the hockey rookie camp have been changed. Dates for all camps are; Basketball – 10-12 July 2009, Hockey – NOW 12-14 July 2009, Lawn Bowls – 12-14 July 2009, Netball – 18 to 20 July 2009 and Triathlon – 10 to 12 July 2009.

The residential camps will be run under the guidance of highly accredited coaches, who will be assisted by special guest coaches, coaches from the local region, association/club coaches and senior WRAS graduates. Positions are also being offered for coaches of all levels to attend the camps to improve their skills and increase their experience.

The camp activities planned include physiological testing, body movement, individual and specialist skills, and game sense. Players and coaches will be exposed to the latest playing and coaching techniques and given instant feedback on improving individual performance.

Attendance at the Rookie Camps in 2009 is compulsory for all new athletes wishing to try out for the 2010 WRAS squads. Current WRAS squad members for Hockey and Netball who are still eligible to trial for WRAS for 2010 do not need to attend the rookie camps. Players who don’t wish to try out for the Academy will still find any one of these camps a great opportunity to receive instruction from some of the top coaches in NSW and the western region.

WRAS Executive Officer Nancy Haslop said “these Rookie Camps are a great development opportunity for western region sports people with some of the state’s best coaches heading up the training sessions. They are also a good way for athletes to become involved with the Academy and develop a better understanding of what WRAS does”.

Information and nomination forms are available from the WRAS website www.wras.org.au now. Nominations for both athletes and coaches close Friday 29 May 2009. For more information contact the Academy office on 6338 4821.

In July 2009, the Western Region Academy of Sport is conducting Rookie Camps for Basketball, Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Netball and Triathlon. Rookie athletes from towns right around the region including Bathurst, Blackheath, Blayney, Cowra, Dubbo, Forbes, Gilgandra, Grenfell, Gulargambone, Gulgong, Kandos, Lithgow, Lyndhurst, Mudgee, Narromine, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Portland, Quandialla, Rylstone, Wallerawang, West Wyalong, Wongarbon and Young will attend the camps.

All of these residential camps will provide ‘rookie’ athletes with the opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge, in a fun learning environment and to identify talented players, to be invited to apply for a 2010 WRAS scholarship.

The camps will be held in Bathurst with athletes and coaches staying on campus of Charles Sturt University. The camps will commence with basketball and triathlon held on Friday 10 to Sunday 12 July. The basketball rookies and some athletes from the 2009 WRAS basketball program will be coached by previous AIS assistant coach Debbie Cook. Renowned NSW triathlon coach John Hickey will work with budding triathletes from the western region along with athletes from the Northern Inland Academy of Sport.

WRAS hockey head coach and NSW AHL assistant coach Wally Gaynor will head up the hockey camp to be held along with the lawn bowls camp on 12 to 14 July. Lawn bowls rookies will be coached by highly experienced local coaches Bob Townsend and Ross Hunter.

The camps will conclude with the netball rookie camp which will be led by WRAS netball head coach Cate Gardner.

Athletes who attend the camps will receive expert tuition by coaches from the local region, special guest coaches, senior WRAS graduates and association/club coaches. Positions are also being offered for coaches of all levels to attend the camps to improve their skills and increase their experience.

The camp activities planned include physiological testing, body movement, individual and specialist skills, and game sense. Players and coaches will be exposed to the latest playing and coaching techniques and given instant feedback on improving individual performance.

WRAS Executive Officer Nancy Haslop said “these Rookie Camps are a great development opportunity for western region sports people with some of the state’s best coaches heading up the training sessions. They are also a good way for athletes to become involved with the Academy and develop a better understanding of what WRAS does”.
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The Western Region Academy of Sport is on the look for that ‘undiscovered’ talent to participate in the 2009 Talent Search Program for basketball, netball and triathlon.

The Academy offers athlete’s quality sports development programs to help them reach higher levels in their sport. WRAS athletes are provided with excellent opportunities including elite coaching, fitness testing, strength and conditioning, athlete education and individual program monitoring. Over the last few years, the Academy has conducted a broad Talent Search Program through schools in the Western Region in conjunction with the Australian Sports Commission. The focus of this years WRAS talent identification program is on discovering athletes suited to the specific sports of basketball, netball and triathlon.

WRAS have identified sport specific attributes necessary for performance in basketball, netball and triathlon. For basketball and netball the suitable requirements include exceptional height, head and shoulders above friends, with an interest in these sports. Exceptional fitness and ability in swimming and running is required for triathlon. If this sounds like you and you are in years 7-9 at school, then the Western Region Academy of Sport wants to hear from you!

The 2009 Western Region Academy of Sport Talent Search process will involve the submission of expression of interest forms, available on the WRAS website. Identified athletes will then be contacted to arrange specific exercise testing conducted by the experienced exercise science team from WRAS. Once testing data has been collected selected athletes will be invited to attend the 2009 WRAS Rookie Camp in the July school holidays. Athletes attending these professionally run camps will be eligible for selection and scholarships in the 2009/10 WRAS program where focus will be on athlete development aimed toward state and national representation.

WRAS executive Nancy Haslop has said that “athletes identified through previous talent search programs run by the experienced WRAS team have had some exceptional results. These include the success with triathlete Nick North who was identified through a WRAS Talent Search Program in 2005. Since his discovery and WRAS selection Nick has risen to the top of the ranks in triathlon. He has attended the Australian development camp with the National Junior Squad and continues to show great promise”.

Western Region Academy of Sport is excited about the prospect of finding and helping western region athletes achieve things that they have never even thought possible. For more information visit the WRAS website at talentid@wras.org.au or alternatively call the WRAS office on 6338 4821 however the expression of interest forms must be completed and returned before 17 April.