Heathmont College Sports Academy to open next year
Teens who dream of becoming elite athletes or want to work in the sporting industry are flocking to join a secondary college’s academy.
Outer East
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A sports academy at Heathmont College will give students a taste of life as a professional athlete.
Believed to be the first sports academy in Maroondah, it will open at the school next year offering students in Year 7 to 10 the chance to focus on a specific sport including basketball, AFL, soccer, volleyball and netball; striking sports, including tennis, baseball, hockey, and badminton; and a gifted athlete program where students can focus on individual sports, including cross-country, swimming and athletics.
Students will learn about strength and conditioning, health and wellbeing, sports medicine and recovery and psychology, using the school’s sporting facilities and those of nearby sporting centres, including swim centre Aquanation.
It will cater for those who want to play professional sport or work in the sports industry.
Heathmont College physical education teacher Elise Hopkins, who is overseeing the program, said there was a real need for the academy.
“We felt like there was a big need for it within the school, kids wanted to be doing more sport at a higher level and higher intensity,” Ms Hopkins said.
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Students in the academy will start school early at 8.30am and take part in academy work until the end of first period on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
“In a typical week, if you were in the AFL program, it may involve a recovery swim at Aquanation based on the fact you probably had a game on Sunday, a skills session, health and wellbeing session and strength and conditioning session,” Ms Hopkins said.
She said they had had an overwhelming amount of applications from students wanting to take part in the program, receiving about three a day.
Students will be interviewed before a decision is made on whether they are eligible to take part in the academy, which costs an all-inclusive $2600 a year.
Year 7 student Tom Milne said he was looking forward to being part of the academy next year.
He has been playing basketball for five years and hopes to one day play professionally.
“I’ve just come back from five months injury for my wrist,” he said.
“Being part of the academy will hopefully boost my confidence.”
Ms Hopkins said it would be an engaging and hands-on program.
“We’re not here to say we’re going to turn your child into an elite athlete but it’s the chance to experience what some elite athletes will go through, and what their training processes are and what their behind-the-scene processes are as well,” Ms Hopkins said.
“We’ve already made some fantastic links with AFL Victoria and Maroondah Leisure (the council’s sporting and leisure centres) and we’re really looking forward to getting guest speakers and guest coaches to help us run the yearly program.”
She said students would be offered a tailored training program to suit their goals.
“It suits someone who is looking to go down the elite athlete route and we’re also hoping to target students who may not be the best players in the world but have the determination and drive and want to improve themselves and do better.”
Ms Hopkins said it would also give students information on how they could go about working in the sports industry, including becoming a physiotherapist, sports psychologist or personal trainer.
It is also hoped it will encourage students to take up part-time coaching roles, engaging with younger students.
Applications close on September 20. Details: heathmont.vic.edu.au/curriculum/sports-academy/