THE Central West’s top junior talent will hope to paint the top step of the Your Local Club Academy Games podium orange and blue over the coming three days at Newcastle.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Western Region Academy of Sport will be sending 120 athletes to the games, starting this Friday at Newcastle.
Bathurst athletes are among the group competing in basketball, AFL, golf, hockey and netball.
It’s expected to be an exciting but tough three days of action against the best players Central Coast, Far West, Illawarra, Hunter, North Coast, Northern Inland, South East, South West Sydney, Southern, Western Region and Western Sydney have to offer.
“We had really big trial numbers for hockey, which has led to us taking two girls team and one boys team. There’s always great trial numbers at netball and this is also the first year we’ve had an AFL program,” WRAS executive officer Candice Boggs said.
“AFL NSW have come on board to partner with the regional academies to develop these programs. It’s just for women, so they’re trying to create new pathways given that it’s a new sport for them at the elite level.
“From AFL they will also be selecting an under 16s state team from the games.”
For many in the sizeable WRAS squad it will be their first Academy Games experience.
Jaylen Boer-Ross, 14, is among that list.
Boer-Ross, who is a part of the Bathurst Goldminers minor premier under 16s team in Western Junior League, is hoping his team can make a big impact at Newcastle.
“All our players are spread around the Western Region. Most of them I know really well. We’ve got a few from Bathurst and a few from Dubbo,” he said.
“We’ve had about six or seven practice sessions together, and we’ve had a few weekend camps as well.
“Seeing as it’s my first time going I’m not too sure what to expect but I’m just looking forward to going out there and competing. I’ll just go out and give it my best.”
The Western Region has traditionally boasted an abundance of junior talent.
With two girls’ teams making the trip to Newcastle that trend has continued into another season.
St Pat’s hockey junior Ella Davis, 15, is another first-time member of an Academy Games team.
“I feel like our team is very strong this year. We’ve got a lot players at different ages who can play in many positions and I think that will help us,” she said.
“At practice we’ve a lot on getting to play well as a team and getting to know one another. That’s been going really well.
“Being my first year I’m not sure what the other academies will be like. I’d expect them to be strong but hopefully we can beat them.”
