News & Events
Previous News Items
- Brother and Sister in State Team
- Academy Junior Netball Camp
- Squads Set for Academy Games
- Two new sporting initiatives added to the Academy portfolio
- State Honours for Lee and Hooppell
- Southern Sports Academy Bowls Squad
- NSW Institute of Sport Coach at Hockey Camp
- 7 Netballers in NSW TAP Squad
- Scott Returns with National Title
- Scott Wins Three State Titles
- Scott Snares Another Title
- NSWIS Honours for Cameron Scott
- Academy Netballers Excel at NIB
- Bowlers Take the Cash!
- Two Academy Athletes Nominated for Prestigious Award
- English International to Attend Academy Training Session
- Young Cyclist Claims Another State Title
- Top Ranking for Academy Netball Team
- Academy Cyclists Set for State Representative Honours
- Academy Bowlers Topple the Best
Top Ranking for Academy Netball Team
By Southern Sports Academy
April 19, 2011
By Southern Sports Academy
April 19, 2011
The Southern Sports Academy Netball Team has returned from the Clubs NSW Academy Games as the top ranked team in regional NSW for the very first time. In an outstanding and unprecedented performance, the Academy team defeated traditional heavyweights – Central Coast Academy, Illawarra Academy, Hunter Academy and the Illawarra Academy of Sports over the three day carnival.
The Academy Games represent the pinnacle event on the Regional Academies calendar and were held in Armidale from 15-17 April.
The team comprised: Bridgette Keely (Hanwood), Karen Lindner (West Wyalong), Baillie Casley (Wagga), Madison Casley (Wagga), Peta Larkin (Griffith), Abbie Pumpa (Pleasant Hills), Shea Byrne (Wagga), Stephanie Clancy (Pleasant Hills), Georgia Heffernan (Junee), Georgia Cornell (Ungarie)
Head Coach of the Southern Sports Academy Netball Squad, Michelle Byrne, was justifiably very proud of the achievements of the team at the Games:
“All members of the team contributed at key points over the period of the Games and we seemed to get our combinations spot on over the three days. We needed our shooters to step up, which they did, and our centre court and defensive unit was the most effective of all teams at the Games. “
Testament to this fact was the awarding of the prestigious Netball NSW Academy Games Most Valuable Player Award, which went to the Southern Sports Academy Centre, Shea Byrne. This Award was voted for by opposition coaches, with Shea running out a clear winner by three votes. Other Southern Sports Academy players to figure prominently in the voting were the key defensive players Madison Casley and Bridgette Keely.
Academy Executive Director, Greg McLay was also amazed at the performances of the team at the Games:
“The Academy has been operating for nearly 20 years, with Netball being a program of ours for nearly 15 of those years. We have never topped the rankings previously and this represents a watershed moment for our program. I believe we have the best coaching and support staff in regional NSW, and I am thrilled that the tireless efforts of our staff have been rewarded in this way.”
