What the Academy Does
Academy Southland is a joint venure between Sport Southland, Community Trust of Southland and the New Zealand Academy of Sport : South Island. A Pilot programme, which is run for the first time in Southland in 2005, it is hoped that Academy Southland will continue for many years to come. The aims of Academy Southland are:
- Assist athletes on a performance pathway
- Increase resources, expertise & advice
- Enhance knowledge and involvement of coaches / providers
- Get more athletes carded
- Engage Regional Sporting Organisation's (RSO's)
- Add value to existing programmes
The target group for Academy Southland overall is consistent with the overall aspirations of the Academy, which is to win in events that matter to New Zealander's. These are:
- Young uncarded athletes with the potential to be carded
- Aspiring to World Championships / Olympics / Commonwealth Games
- Currently performing at elite age group level with the potential to represent New Zealand in open status
- Enthusuastic about the benefits of this programme and access to services
What do the athletes get out of this?
Services provided to the athletes include:
- Sports science workshops: nutrition, sports psychology, training techniques, skill analysis etc
- Sports medicine, medical, physiotherapy support, vision testing & screening
- Performance lifestyle advice, for example: integrating sport and education/career elements.
Vision:
"Promising and talented Southland athletes nurtured in a quality 'performance' environment,
developing their sporting talent and achieving excellence in sport"
