Great Southern Academy of Sport opening applications in mid-October

The newly formed Great Southern Academy of Sport has announced the opening dates for athlete applications.

The academy, billed as a premier sports institute dedicated to the nurturing of talented junior athletes, will accept applications from October 16-30.

Last December, the Great Southern Sports Talent Association announced it would transition to a fully developed academy of sport with a focus on providing an exceptional home training environment for talented athletes in the region.

The program seeks to help the regional sports sector deliver talent pathways and to prepare athletes and coaches for high-performance sports.

GSAS executive officer Rob Perisic said he was delighted the application process was getting started.

“The opening of applications is the culmination of the efforts of many people over the last 12 months and we are thrilled about finally bringing a dedicated sports academy to the region,” he said.

“Our vision is to become a beacon of excellence in sports development and have Great Southern athletes and coaches reach the pinnacle of their chosen sports and represent all of us on the national and global stage.”

The academy is based in Albany, with all service providers either based in the city or offering their services within the region.

Perisic said he hoped, depending on budgets and athletes’ needs, the academy would extend some of its core services to Denmark, Mt Barker and Katanning.

“The goal here is to maintain a high quality of service whilst minimising athlete travel,” he said.