The Western Region Academy of Sport in conjunction with the Basketball NSW are conducting a specialist talent search program in search for ‘undiscovered’ talent.

The program aims to identify exceptionally tall athletes. An interview and selection process will be conducted. A number of scholarships are on offer with a view to progressing to NSW and Australian representation.

Download a Where’s Dunkin’ Package for more information.

The Western Region Academy of Sport will be conducting trials for the 2012 Softball Program on Sunday 28 August at Charles Surt University – Bathurst. For full information, including a nomination form please go to the following:

WRAS softball trials and application form

Putting up with the cold winter frosts of Bathurst is something that won’t bother Becky Goldstein too much as she is use to the cold weather, hailing from Northbrook, Illinois, which isn’t too far from the Windy City of Chicago.

Becky is a student from Miami University of Ohio in America currently majoring in sport studies with a double minor in coaching and communications. She is participating in an exchange program which has seen her land at the Western Region Academy of Sport (WRAS).

 As part of her senior thesis, Becky along with 20 other students who are studying either sport management or exercise science has already visited the cities of Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns and Surfers Paradise.  The aim of her visit is to learn about the different sport cultures in Australia, attend different sporting events, learn about managing a sporting organisation and how to train athletes.

Whilst in Bathurst, Becky will be undertaking an internship with WRAS for 3 weeks. She will experience living with four different host families and learn about the different lifestyles of Australians. To give her a multi-diverse background, she will learn the many facets that the Academy deals with, from helping plan the Coach the Coach Conference, working with strength and conditioning coaches, learning about the marketing department at Charles Sturt University, and much more. This hopefully will help prepare her for the future and whatever career path she decides to take.

Becky has been a figure skating coach for eight years and has been figure skating for sixteen years.  “After finishing up school, I plan on working my way up to being a staff member of a professional sports team doing either sports marketing or game day operations. Aside from that, I will continue to be a figure skating coach.”

The Western Region Academy of Sport (WRAS) is pleased to announce its coaching staff for the 2012 netball squad.

Keryn Gribben (Baulkham Hills) has been appointed as the new WRAS head coach. Keryn has over 26 years experience coaching juniors through to seniors at club and representative levels. She is currently working on her Elite Coach Accreditation (Level 3) and will be an invaluable addition to WRAS netball program and athletes.

Vanessa Uebergang (Dubbo) and Anita Morrison (Forbes) have been appointed assistant coaches with the squad. Vanessa holds a Development Accreditation, attended this year’s rookie camp and is the current coach of the Dubbo 15 years State Age team. Anita also coached at this year’s rookie camp and is currently coaching this year’s WRAS squad in the Central West State League competition.

WRAS Executive Officer Nancy Haslop said ‘the Academy is very excited to have such a high quality group of coaches come on board to work with our athletes. I am confident that they will provide a stable platform from which our netball program will be able to grow.’

Trials for the 2012 squad from those athletes identified from the WRAS rookie camps will be held at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst on Sunday 14 August.

Expressions of interest are sought for the positions of Head Coach, Assistant Coach (x2) and Trainee Coach (x2) in preparation for the re-introduction of softball into WRAS for the 2011/12 season. For more information please go to the following:

EOI WRAS Softball Coaching Staff

Following the successful hockey and netball rookie camps, athletes have been selected to attend the next round of trials for WRAS.

To view a complete list of athletes selected to trial (and download a nomination form and information) please go to the following:

Netball

Hockey

The Western Academy of Sport (WRAS) netball team is currently competing at the annual nib Netball Tournament which is being held at the Maitland Federation Centre.  Day two of competition kicks off today with the WRAS Div 1 team playing four games while the Div 2 team will be tested with five games scheduled. 

Teams from the Central Coast Academy of Sport, Far West Academy of Sport, Hunter Academy of Sport, Illawarra Academy of Sport, North Coast Academy of Sport, Northern Inland Academy of Sport, South East Regional Academy of Sport, Southern Sports Academy, South West Sydney Academy, Western Region Academy of Sport, Western Sydney Academy of Sport and Sydney Metropolitan are competing to take the title of nib Champions.

This event has been organised as part of the nib Hunter Festival of Sport for the past 21 years and has established itself as a premier event on the NSW Netball calendar. The Games will wrap up on Friday 15 July.