Hard work of Academy 'pays off'

Written on the 4 November 2016 by SWSAS

WITH the South West Sydney Academy of Sport has had some major wins on the representative front, in both netball and softball, with a number of athletes gaining selection in professional representative and NSW squads.

With the 2016/2017 Netball Program just kicking off, the Academy was excited to hear that nine graduate athletes have been offered contracts with Sydney based Samsung Premier League sides.

Young gun's Catherine Tevaga, Halle Pierson, Michelle Katoa and Megan Bull have been contracted to the Penrith Panthers club, which won the under 20 premiership in 2016.
Caitlin Porter, Jamie McMurdo, Makenzie Skinner and Amelia Dunlop have been offered contracts with GWS Fury and Ellyn Brown is heading off to join the UTS Sparks.

The Samsung Premier League was introduced earlier this year by Netball NSW to create a new High Performance pathway for talented players. The competition features 8 teams with each team hosting an under 20 and Open squad.

Academy netball head coach Van Nguyen was excited and very proud to see so many current and graduate academy athletes taking their next step up the netball representative pathway.

The Academy softball program is also making some giant moves in the softball world with 10 current athletes earning places in under 17 NSW squads.

Jorja Barrett, Breanna Evans and Samantha Glover have made the women's squad with Luke Bellamy, Logan Campbell, Jack Morel, Harrison Pudner, Zac Raso, Brady Shears, and Lachlan Smith taking up 7 out of the 16 spots on offer in the men's squad.

To top off a great NSW softball representative tally, Academy coach Tony Jackson was appointed to the NSW men's under 17 assistant coach role.

Jackson said, he was really pleased to see the many years of hard work invested by local clubs, associations, the Academy and these young athletes, have really paid-off.