For the first time in our 36-year history, the Illawarra Academy of Sport is excited to welcome a Volleyball Program to join the existing 11 programs.
As a mid-year intake 38 volleyball athletes joined the program. The Volleyball program came to fruition as part of the Volleyball NSW (VNSW) partnership with the NSW Regional Academies of Sport Incorporated (RASi), as an official part of the VNSW performance pathway. The Youth RASi Network provides a formal pathway and link between social, school and club athletes to the Youth Phoenix State Team program.
“This partnership catalyses an exciting evolution to the Youth pathway as athletes and coaches will now have greater access to engage with VNSW endorsed higher level volleyball and athlete support opportunities closer to home,” Jason Laffer, Volleyball NSW Pathways Operations Manager said
The program has had turnaround with trials on Saturday 29 May 2021 and the first two sessions being on Saturday 12 June and Saturday 19 June.
Since joining the program, the athletes have also taken part in physical testing, in addition to a strength and conditioning induction to learn their phase one gym programs.
The athletes will participate in volleyball training, strength and conditioning, and education sessions in the lead up to a RASi tournament in Sydney in September.
“With the Illawarra and South Coast being a notoriously strong region for volleyball, we are excited to see a large group of athletes in the inaugural squad,” John Armstrong, IAS CEO said.
Of the 38 athletes selected, 14 were selected for the female 2003-2005 squad, 10 for the male 2003-2005 squad, and 14 for the 2006-2009 squad.
See all the 2021 Volleyball athletes here. Congratulations athletes!
