Hunter Academy of Sports
Hunter Academy of Sport Netballer Melissa Wilson up against South West Sydney Academy of Sport.
Some of the state's finest young athletes will arrive in the Hunter Region next weekend for the 2019 Your Local Club Academy Games.
The Hunter Academy of Sport boys hockey team
Hosted by the Hunter Academy of Sport (HAS), the event will be held across various venues throughout the Hunter region from Friday, April 12 to Sunday, April 14.
Let the games begin: The opening ceremony in 2018.
The 2019 Your Local Club Academy Games will bring together athletes, staff, families and supporters from all 11 Regional Academies of Sport (RAS) across NSW.
The competing Academies include Central Coast, Far West, Illawarra, Hunter, North Coast, Northern Inland, South East, South West Sydney, Southern, Western Region and Western Sydney Academies of Sport.
The Games will also highlight guest Academies, including teams from ACT and Sydney. This is the second year that HAS have hosted this event, which is part of a three year agreement with RAS. Last year saw over 4000 athletes, supporters, staff, volunteers and coaches attend the event, with a total tourism value of $1.25 million.
Hunter Academy of Sport, CEO, Brett O'Farrell said that the Hunter Region was very excited to be given this opportunity to host the Academy Games again.
"We look forward to building on and improving what was a successful year for the Regional Academies of Sport not just locally, but throughout the state."
"The Games are a fantastic opportunity to showcase the Hunter region, and of course the pure talent that these athletes have to offer," said Mr O'Farrell.
The 2019 Your Local Club Academy Games feature the emerging talent of athletes across eight different sports including Basketball, Golf, Hockey, Netball, Softball, Tennis, AFL and Triathlon.
The inclusion of Triathlon is an exciting venture for the Games, as they had not been involved in the past few years.
The Games will also highlight an exhibition Para-sport match, with Wheelchair Basketball and Para-Futsal athletes competing on the Saturday morning of the weekend.
Your Local Club has been the principle partner of the Academy Games since its inception in 2005, marking fourteen years of valued support for the state's talented athletes. The RAS is proud to be associated with such a supportive and progressive organisation.
Your Local Club Academy Games have provided a platform for many athletes to further their careers in both State and National Representative Honours and some even further into the professional sporting ranks.
The 2019 Your Local Club Academy Games is proudly sponsored by Your Local Club, the NSW Government, Newcastle City Council, Lake Macquarie City Council, NBN News, Regional Academies of Sport and the Hunter Academy of Sport.
