Players, coaches, umpires get ahead at Academy Games

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Netball squads from the 11 Regional Academies of Sport and the Sydney Netball Academy have returned from the 2012 ClubsNSW Academy Games following a three-day round robin competition in Wollongong.

Hosted by the Illawarra Academy of Sport, the focus for the Games was not just on the competition but on development for players, coaches and umpires.

The 144 netballers were treated to a skills session on Saturday afternoon run by Australian Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander. The players also received tips from NSW Swifts Susan Pratley, Sam May, and Vanessa Ware and current and former Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holders Paige Hadley, Alix McDermott, Gabi Simpson, Amy Sommerville and Melissa Tallent who were on hand to support Alexander with the session.

Academy coaches had the opportunity to attend three coaching development sessions; a session with  Carol Byers, Netball Australia Coach and Athlete Development Manager and Mary Toomey, Netball Australia Wellbing Manager outlining the Develop a Diamond Academy Program, as well as sessions focusing on shooting and driving coaching values with Netball NSW High Performance Coach Sue Hawkins.

One umpire from each Academy was present to officiate the 66 games and they reaped the benefits of having mentor umpires on hand throughout the weekend.

With the focus on development there was no overall winner declared, however a Netball Games Merit Team and Most Valuable Player were named.

Merit Team:
Victoria Aoake                   Hunter Academy
Brianne Conroy                 Far West Academy
Georgia Cornell                 Southern Sports Academy
Beth Dixon                          South East Regional Academy
Victoria Firth                      Western Sydney Region Academy
Natalie Franklin                 Central Coast Academy
Tahlia Goodwin                 North Coast Academy
Charlotte Jasprizza          Western Region Academy
Daisy Kennedy-Holtz      Sydney Netball Academy
Alice Reid                            Northern Inland Academy
Jade Reilly                           South West Sydney Academy
Caitlin Williams                  Illawarra Academy

Most Valuable Player Award: Charlotte Jasprizza (Western Region Academy)

For more on the games click here.

The Regional Academies of Sport form an important step on the development pathway for players, coaches and umpires, for more information click here.