Waikato Academy for Young Achievers
Sport is a challenge but so is a sporting life. Tomorrow’s champions need support today if they are to manage the complex and often competing demands of sport, work, study, health and life.
The Waikato Academy for Young Achievers was founded in 1995 to support the development and overall well-being of young athletes who aspire to achieve sporting excellence.
The programme is coordinated by WILSS and supported by The University of Waikato and the Waikato region’s top sports people. To deliver the modules, WILSS uses New Zealand’s current and former elite sports people and experts within the sport and recreation industry.
What & when
Waikato Academy for Young Achievers
Applications close: end of April for Hamilton
Duration: three years, with seven or eight 1.5-hour sessions per year
Commences: second term of the school year
Entry criteria
To be eligible for the programme, an athlete must:
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be nominated by their sport or school.
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be competing at a regional level.
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be aged between 15-17 years at the commencement of the three-year process. If an athlete is achieving representation at a regional level before or after this age they will be considered for entry.
Core components
The focus of the first year is to introduce the athletes to concepts of looking after themselves using an holistic approach. Athletes attend seven night sessions beginning in term two of the school calendar year.
Topics include:
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dreaming of the international arena.
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creating an image.
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communication on and off the field.
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listening to your body.
The course content in Year Two and Three continues to develop the fundamental modules offered in Year One, with more role model involvement from leading sports people.
Scholarships
Interested participants are required to submit a written application.
Programme of study
The Academy runs in Hamilton for seven weeks, each Friday night, from 5.30pm to 7.00pm. It is also offered in the Central Plateau and Hauraki Plains/Thames regions — sessions are delivered over two full days.
Future pathways
The Academy programme provides students with tools to excel in their chosen sport and to achieve balance between sport, career and personal life. Successful students may also be able to progress on to the New Zealand Sports Academy and the Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme.
For more information or to register your interest please contact:
Robyn Polley at WILSS on 839 9908
or email robyn@wilss.ac.nz
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"The Academy was beneficial to me not only as an athlete but as a person. My favourite sessions were nutrition and mental toughness as they were very relevant to my sport. I have been able to absorb the information then adapt and use it to improve my game, like eating the right foods to provide the right energy levels to sustain my performance. Great facilitators shared how to plan your year to include time for family, friends, sport and education, ensuring you have a healthy balance." Emily Perry, GOLFER "Maintaining overall health is vital when you’re competing at an elite level of sport. You need to be able to meet the requirements of training and competition without compromising your physical, mental and emotional health. The Waikato Academy for Young Achievers programme addressed these issues head-on. In my day-to-day sporting life, I still use many of the techniques that I learnt." Daniel Vettori, cricketer, NZ BLACK CAP |
