Last weekend the Illawarra Academy of Sport had 63 athletes across 4 sports participate in the 2015 ClubsNSW Academy Games on the NSW Central Coast. The IAS had athletes compete in Golf, Hockey, Netball and Triathlon. The Regional Academies of Sport Incorporated (RASi) established the Academy Games in 2005 as a means of demonstrating and celebrating the wonderful talent of Academy athletes from across regional NSW, in an environment that supports high standards in competition, respect and responsibility. The 2015 Clubs NSW Academy Games Netball Competition was for the first time 2 divisions and the IAS was strongly represented. With a change in age for the 2015 Regional Academy of Sports Netball Programs to streamline the Netball NSW Development Pathway to now be 14-16 year old girls developing them for the NSW U17 Team, the drop in age did not see a drop in the standard of competition. Traditionally the top 4 teams have been WSAS, SWSAS, SNA and CCAS, with the IAS being mid pack. With a new look coaching staff, a training focus on core skills, discipline and execution the IAS Netball Squad was the big improvers of 2015. While the ClubsNSW Academy Games is regarded as a development weekend and there are no final standings, the results are a great indication of the IAS improvement. The division 1 team had a very successful first day recording 5 wins out of their five matches one of which was the match of the tournaments against WSAS were the girls won in a nail biter 27-23. On Sunday the girls had a tougher time with back to back games against the two power houses in SWSAS and SNA to which they had a draw against SWSAS and a loss against SNA. The girls were able to bounce back in the afternoon to record another 2 wins against SSA and NIAS to finish off a great tournament. The division 2 team showed great skill and determination in what was for many of the girls their biggest carnival of their careers. They started off very well recording a win against NCAS before coming up against some tough opposition in CCAS and WSAS were they recorded two very close losses. In the afternoon they were able to get two wins against WRAS and HAS. Sunday was just as tough for the girls recording 3 losses against SWSAS, SNA and SSA before finishing the tournament on a high just as their division 1 squad members with a win against NIAS. AT the close of a tough two days of competition, the Most Valued Player in each academy team and division has been selected. They are as follows: Division 1: CCAS – Lauren Baxter HAS – Fanogo Maher IAS – Laura Davenport NCAS – Mikaela Donovan NIAS – Charlotte Raleigh SNA – Leilani Finau SSA – Clare Vearing SWSAS – Amelia Dunlop WRAS – Tara Nagle WSAS – Matilda McDonell Division 2: CCAS – Piper Nowland HAS – Claire O’Brien IAS – Karlia Cook NCAS – Brooke Hawett NIAS – Chloe Thompson SNA – Aisha Smith SSA – Lana Duffy SWSAS – Irena Kirasome WRAS – Erin Turner WSAS – Rylee Towell A huge congratulations to not only Laura and Karlia selected as the IAS’s MVP’s, but also to all the players who competed in this year’s ClubsNSW Academy Games, it was an incredible spectacle to watch and an amazing display of skills and talent. The Central Coast Academy of Sport on behalf of the Regional Academy of Sport (RASi) network would like to thank and acknwoledge the support received from the following organisations: ClubsNSW (Principal Partner), NSW Government through the Office of Sport, Gosford City Council, Wyong Shire Council, NBN Television (Media, Southern Cross Austereo (101.3 SeaFM and 107.7 2GO), Central Coast Tourism.
