About Us
Introduction
The South West Academy of Sport began Operation in 2005 and is part of a network of six regional Victorian sports academies to provide vital support services to aspiring athletes in regional Victoria.
The need for these academies has been clearly demonstrated by the constant battle facing rural and regionally based athletes to access the same services and levels of coaching readily available to their metro counterparts.
SWAS is funded by the State Government through the Victorian Institute of Sport, local Government authorities and corporate partners.
With no facilities, SWAS is an administration only organisation. Our sole purpose is to raise revenue to conduct our core business, realise our vision and keep costs to athletes at a realistic level.
The core business of SWAS is to develop pathways between local and National level participation by supporting and developing athletes and coaches through education and training not normally available in the region.
A bi-product of academy activities is to provide a legacy for the regions younger athletes to aspire to and benefit from, promoting south west Victoria as a centre of sporting excellence.
The vision of the academy is “to provide genuine pathways for emerging regional athletes to compete at state and National levels”
The SWAS structure comprises of 2 paid employees, 19 paid contract coaches, 6 resident paid contract service providers and several external, 60 volunteers comprising coaches, program managers, program advisory committee members and board of management.
Like many regional sporting organisations, the academy is totally reliant on voluntary labour and community support. Without this support the academy would cease to exist.
Sports
SWAS currently supports 5 sport programs, Tennis, Golf, Cycling, Athletics and Table Tennis. SWAS is always open to discuss additional programs with other sports.
Athletes within the 5 sports are supported by a sport program advisory committee operating under the auspice of the academy. These committees are made up of volunteers representing clubs and associations from across the region.
Athletes whose sport is not supported by SWAS can apply as an individual athlete. These athletes do not receive sport specific coaching but can benefit from all of the other services offered.
Sport Services
Athletes within the 5 sport programs also receive sport specific benefits such as elite coaching or training, local squad training, competition, coach development and learning resources.
Academy Philosophies
The content of a program must;
• Support and develop athletes and coaches through education and training
• Provide a higher level of regional coaching/services than available at club/local level
• Provide competition and complement or value add to existing club activities
• Be driven by the sport advisory committee and evaluated by all stakeholders
• Capitalise on inter academy or joint academy opportunities
• Encourage attendance of family and support networks
• Ensure our of pocket expense reimbursement for proram volunteers
Service Providers
SWAS has carefully recruited some of the best service providers in the field to deliver the services. Some of the educators and athletes that have been utilised in the past include Olympians, Brett Hawke, Rohan Robinson, Julie McDonald, Steven Barnett and Jacqui Cooper.
Our regular providers include former world age triathlete and sports nutritionist, Sandy Iuliano, Sydney Olympian & sports psychologist, Lisa Cuda, VIS sports science personnel, retired elite highjumper and sports scientist, Ewan Haldane and local adventure athlete and surf lifesaving physio, Toby Pettigrew.
Other service providers are accessed during the course of the program as required.
Delivery of services
Academy services commence with an orientation day covering Sports Science based topics. Musculo Skeletal Screening and Fitness Testing are conducted and Strength and Conditioning Programs are developed for each athlete.
As an accredited testing centre for the National Talent Identification and Development program, SWAS tests each academy athlete to identify Australia's next gereration of high performance athletes.
SWAS also provides funding for additional sports science sessions throughout the year which are planned to coincide with training sessions.
Programs are designed specifically to suit each sport meaning start and finish times and regularity of sessions differ, depending on needs.
SWAS utilises regional sport club, TAFE and council facilities throughout the region to deliver its services.
District accommodation such as Brauer College Camp in Dunkeld and Brucknell Scout Camp are also utilised for training camps.
Academy Services
Stakeholder focus groups have deemed the following services most appropriate for developing athletes and this has been reflected in services SWAS deliver.
1. Sports appropriate fitness and conditioning program – this includes an assessment of individuals to undertake the program and fitness testing as appropriate to the sport.
2. Bracketed under the sports science heading – Nutrition, Sports Psychology and other Sports Science topics. The topics will depend on the stage of porogression for the individual athlete.
3. Personal development – To develop a well rounded athlete, who can speak to the media or sponsors, or make a successful thank you speech.
Core Business
• Athlete development - to identify support and develop athletes through education and training
• Improving performance - to develop structures that will aim to enhance performance of athletes at a State and National level
• Pathway linkages - to develop pathways between regional and State & National level participation
• Providing a legacy - to increase the performance of individuals while improving the capacity of organisations to support and develop sport at a grassroots level
• Promotion of sporting excellence - to promote the South West as a centre of sporting excellence
Target Groups
Clearly the main target group of SWAS is emerging young athletes. While there is technically no age limit for academy athletes, there are various age criteria for specific sports.
The average age of current athletes is 12 – 18 years.
Depending on the sport, athletes under 12 years are permitted.
The real key to the academy’s main target group is ability, and specific selection criteria are set for each sport.
Individual athletes are assessed by a selection panel which includes a VIS representative.
Because coach development is a very important aspect of the academy’s philosophies, the other target group is
coaches and administrators. Regional coaches from the sports supported by SWAS are given the opportunity to attend educational sessions free of charge.
Administrators and club personnel are targeted and recruited to provide input into program development, implementation and evaluation.
Target Areas 
The South West Academy of Sport
covers the following Local
Government areas:
• Corangamite Shire
• Glenelg Shire
• Moyne Shire
• Southern Grampians Shire
• Warrnambool City
Incorporating these major towns:
• Warrnambool
• Hamilton
• Portland
• Casterton
• Terang
• Camperdown
• Port Fairy
Cost
All athletes must pay an annual levy of $230. This levy covers uniform, insurance and all academy services. Athletes receive over $600 worth of value.
Additional to the athlete levy are program fees. These fees vary and are reflected by what is being delivered in the program.
The academy sources sponsorship and funding to contribute to the sport program budget and reduce the cost to athletes. Athletes and the Program Advisory Committee can also seek sponsorship to contribute to the program.
Uniform
All athletes receive a polo shirt, cap and tracksuit top at induction. Additional sports specific uniforms, such as competition uniforms are sourced by the program advisory committee.
How to Apply
For an individual or sport program athlete to apply, they must first meet the selection criteria. An application form must then be completed and submitted by the closing date. A selection panel considers all applications and all applicants are
advised of the outcome by mail.
Sports wishing to apply for affiliation need to contact the academy or read the sport application criteria available at www.swas.org.au in the documents section.
SWAS will conduct an intake of athletes in July/August 2010 for 12 month ongoing contracts for the current Gofl, Cycling and Table Tennis programs and also for individual athletes. Athletics and Tennis program intakes will take place in September and December respectively.
Athlete application closing dates differ for each sport with details available in brochures downloadable from www.swas.org.au.
