IAS Sports Scholarship Nominations
The Illawarra Academy of Sport (IAS) is calling for athlete nominations for 2016 Scholarships.
The IAS is a not-for-profit organisation that provides equal opportunity, importance and encouragement to talented young athletes and coaches within the Illawarra region, including the Wingecarribee Shire, to achieve excellence through sport while becoming better citizens within the community.
Established in 1985 as Australia’s first regional sporting Academy, the IAS quickly became the benchmark model for regional sport across the nation.
With the support of its many partners, the IAS provides athletes with programs to develop, excel and achieve through sport while maintaining strong community ties.
Illawarra Academy of Sport General Manager Shannon Fraser acknowledged the role the Academy plays in regional sports.
“The Illawarra Academy of Sport is committed to assisting talented local athletes to achieve excellence in sport by way of providing industry leading sports development programs,” he said.
“Since its launch in 1985 the Academy has supported more than 5,000 young people from across the region in their pursuit of sporting excellence.
“Graduates include Brett Lee, Sally Fitzgibbons, Caleb Ewan, Luke Wilkshire, Keiran Govers, Siobhan Paton and more recently David and Emma McKeon, Tristan White and David Smith to mention a few.”
“In just three decades the Academy has produced 11 Olympians, 17 Commonwealth Games Representatives, 11 World Champions and 69 Senior National Team Representatives,” Mr Fraser said.
Scholarships not only focus on sporting and physical development but also on education and community engagement initiatives which allow the athletes to develop into elite sports citizens.
“We believe our holistic approach to training not only develops our athletes into elite sports people, but produces wonderful ambassadors for their respective communities,” Mr Fraser added.
Nominations for this year’s Sports Program Scholarships include Cycling, Golf, Lawn Bowls, Hockey, Netball, Rugby Union, Triathlon as well as non-sport specific Athlete Scholarships within the LoneStar Program and the Athletes with a Disability Program.
Nominations for 2016 Scholarships close on Friday 4 September 2015.
For more information or to nominate for a 2016 IAS Scholarship visit the IAS website at: www.ias.org.au.
Wingecarribee Shire Council is one of the founding partners of the Illawarra Academy of Sport.