The South West Academy of Sport is supporting the sporting dreams of a fresh batch of athletic talent, announcing an exciting list of new scholarship holders with the potential to take their game to the next level.
A total of 10 new athletes in disciplines ranging from road cycling to surfing have joined nine returning up-and-coming sports men and women in the SWAS Individual Athlete Support Program.
The popular program each year attracts a high volume of applications from South West teenagers wanting to develop in their sport through the assistance received through the IASP.
Participants receive support in the daily training environment to develop long and rewarding careers through opportunities to access high-performance coaching and training as well as service providers.
SWAS chief executive officer Bernice Butlion said she was delighted to provide the 23 young athletes including an ambassador athlete, Lauren Rowe (dressage), with the opportunity to develop their talents as they pursue sporting careers.
“I am excited that SWAS will share in the journeys of these athletes as they aspire to sport’s greatest pinnacles,” Butlion said.
“Most of the athletes who have got into IASP this year are in the top three in the State. We have a dedicated and committed group, with each of these emerging stars displaying potential to go further in their sport.”
Mountain biking brothers Connor and Aiden Wright said they were keen to learn more about the various aspects of elite sport through the program and have an extra set of eyes on how they are tracking.
“Things like nutrition and specific testing can be pretty hard to get,” Connor said.
“It’s nice to have people help you figure out what you need and what you may not need as much.”
“The gym aspect is going to help me a lot with strength and the program is also very specific to you and your sport,” Aiden added.
Surf lifesaving siblings Joel and Olivia Doddy said they were excited by everything the program had to offer in order to perfect their craft, from gym memberships to being able to learn more about diet and nutrition.
“I’m really looking forward to all the nutrition talks, as well as working on flexibility and all the other things to help make my sport better,” Olivia said.
“Having SWAS’ support is huge,” Joel added.
Previous participants have competed at the highest representative levels, including the Olympic and Commonwealth
games.
Intake into the IASP is held annually, following a formal application process. The program is available to 15 to 18 year olds living in the South West and excelling at sport not covered by the SWAS partner programs of Australian Rules Football, cricket, netball and hockey.