The Illawarra Academy of Sport and Shellharbour TAFE have agreed on a 'game-changing' partnership which will see Academy athletes train weekly at the state-of-the-art TAFE NSW Shellharbour gymnasium.
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TAFE NSW Shellharbour fitness students will work alongside IAS athletes with the aim to improve their strength and conditioning staff in hands-on training that will count towards their course assessment.
IAS chief executive John Armstrong said that the use of the facility would ensure local athletes could continue to have proper access to quality facilities which would further enhance their chances of progressing to higher levels in their respective sports.
"We've struggled with [securing] Shellharbour for a few years actually,'' he said
"What we seek to do is to provide relatively easy access for strength and conditioning for athletes within the region. So we've got Shoalhaven covered, we've got Wingecarribee covered, Wollongong, Kiama and we've struggled at various times with having a place in Shellharbour for the athletes based in the area.
"The agreement with the TAFE is a match made in heaven. It's fantastic for the athletes and it's strong utilisation of a network that is probably not heavily utilised. But it's got all the equipment that we need and it provides the athletes to undertake strength and conditioning in the afternoon but even [potentially] at additional times.
The truth is that this year and last year there were higher levels of intakes from Shellharbour than we've [previously] had.
- - IAS CEO John Armstrong
"Strength and conditioning is an integral part of the IAS program and we are thrilled to now be able to provide a local gym facility for our Shellharbour-based athletes.
"The scope and synergies for the new partnership are exciting. Utilising the TAFE NSW Shellharbour gym offers high-quality training facilities for IAS athletes and also allows local TAFE NSW students access to emerging athletes."
Armstrong added that Shellharbour being a burgeoning region in general was another crucial reason as to why this partnership will be so important.
"The truth is that this year and last year there were higher levels of intakes from Shellharbour than we've [previously] had," he said.
"We pick athletes on their ability and we don't look at where they've come from until after they are selected, but Shellharbour is a growing region and there is increased numbers that happen to be there [but] we don't know if that's a trend [for the IAS] or not.''
Shellharbour City Mayor Chris Homer helped in the process of securing the gym for the IAS.
"I'm absolutely delighted TAFE NSW has come on board with IAS and this will have benefits for both parties going forward," he said.
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Jordan Warren
Illawarra Mercury sports journalist. Feel free to get in touch jordan.warren@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Illawarra Mercury sports journalist. Feel free to get in touch jordan.warren@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
