Academy CEO provides Member for Liverpool Update on Academy Successes

Written on the 15 July 2025 by SWSAS

I had the recent pleasure to catch up with Ms Charishma Kaliyanda MP, the hard-working State Member for Liverpool and past Academy Board Member of our region’s South West Sydney Academy of Sport.

As a past Board Member, it was pleasing to hear how astounded she was when I updated her on the continued grow in size, service, and community engagement the Academy has achieved.

Our discussion included the Academy’s recent ‘School Holiday Performance Enrichment Program,’ designed by the Academy specifically for the Liverpool region, at Thomas Hassall Anglian College.

This two-day program was extremely well received and provided sports testing/screening, high performance pathway insights, field, and indoor sports concepts, plus performance enrichment sessions, a sprint clinic and supervised match play opportunities, all ‘Free of Charge.’

Within conversation I explained that the Academy is potentially the most important sports initiative for our region’s aspiring athletes, coaches, and sports administrators.

Identifying that it currently services 294 athletes between the ages of 13 to 18 years, plus 73 volunteer coaches and support staff members, representing 24 various sporting disciplines.

Whilst informing the State member that it continues to be developed and positioned to ensure that our, talent identified athletes and coaches, no matter what their sport, have the opportunity to fully develop their skills, sports education, physical and personal development, in our local environment.

The provision of sports skill, and strength and conditioning programs across so many sporting disciplines, is a monumental task, and the State Member congratulated all involved with the development and delivery of such high-quality opportunities and education.

Ms Kaliyanda recommended that all young local aspiring athletes and athletes with a disability visit the Academy website swsas.org.au and or contact the Academy on 02 46 277 622, to see how it can support their personal development.

- Gerry Knights, CEO

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