The Western Region Academy of Sport (WRAS) in conjunction with Basketball NSW is conducting a specialist talent search program in search for ‘undiscovered’ talent.
The program called Where’s Dunkin’? is aimed at identifying exceptionally tall male and female athletes with the aim to see if they have the potential to become an elite basketball player. ‘Dunkin’ will initially be identified utilising several simple physical tests that focus on the key physical attributes of an elite basketball player such as height, arm span and vertical jump.
WRAS Executive Officer Nancy Haslop said “While we would love to find the next Andrew Bogut or Lauren Jackson, we are initially setting modest goals and hoping to find athletes who have the capacity to develop and show the potential progress to state or national level. You don’t have to have played basketball in the past. While there are no guarantees, there is no doubt that this is a great opportunity for the right person”
The talent search program has three phases. Phase one involves athletes in years 7-9 submitting an expression of interest form by Friday 20 August. To be eligible athletes must be at least 183cm tall for males and 175cm for females. Phase two will involve confirmation of eligibility by the Academy staff while phase three will see a trial conducted on Saturday 28 August from 11.30am-1.30pm at the Charles Sturt University gymnasium in Bathurst.
WRAS has had previous success with its ‘Where’s Dunkin’? program. Current WRAS high performance squad member Laurence Mifsud was identified through the same program several years ago. Laurence was selected in the U18 Country State team this year and is currently in the U18 Australian Development Squad.
For more information, please contact the Western Region Academy of Sport on 6338 4821 or visit the website www.wras.org.au
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