Australia shifts talent pool funding to the west

Surf Training

Sponsor and Gov't cash goes into Western Australia HIgh Performance Programs

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 17 October, 2012 : - - Surfing WA, with the support of major sponsors Healthway, The Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR) and the Health Insurance Fund (HIF) have this year invested in excess of $152,000 into High Performance Programs, Talent Identification and State Team development and support for the sport in WA.

The latest injection of $32,250 for junior surfers specifically, has come from DSR’s Country Athlete Scholarship Program, where all twenty applications submitted by Surfing WA were successful.

Young WA surfers from all disciplines (shortboarding, longboarding, bodyboarding) and from across the state including: Great Southern, South West, Peel, Mid-West (Kalbarri & Geraldton), Gascoyne (Carnarvon) and Goldfields (Esperance) regions will be the recipients of these scholarships.

According to DSR these scholarships are there to “…increase opportunities for young sub-elite regional athletes to access training, competitions, development camps, coaching and facilities to improve their performance and assist them to represent WA and ultimately Australia.”

Surfing WA CEO Mark Lane was elated by the recent success of the applications for regional junior surfers. “Traditionally, surfing hasn’t been on the receiving end of grants and support of this level, so it’s great to see young WA surfers supported to this extent. “We have perhaps the greatest talent pool of surfers ever coming through the ranks here in WA at the moment, and the dedication and commitment of staff and regional coaches has been pivotal in the success of gaining this support,” he said.

A large majority of the recipients are have been participating in Surfing WA's High Performance programs throughout the year and will represent WA in the upcoming Australian Junior Surfing Titles. Surfing WA has had huge success with their High Performance programs and State Teams this year, and plans to continue this success into 2013 with strong support from their major partners.

The recent DSR Country Athlete Scholarship Program Recipients >

SOUTH - WEST SURFERS:
Bronte Macaulay,
Laura Macaulay
Bailee Hastie,
Jacob Willcox,
Shaun Manners, 
Josh Burke, 
Mikaela Greene,
Eliza Greene 
Duke Nagtzaam.

GREAT SOUTHERN SURFERS:
Lachlan Ross,
Michaela Ross
Emi Campbell.

GOLDFIELDS SURFERS:
Hamish Hazelden.

GASCOYNE SURFERS:
Alexandra Durant
Imogen Caldwell

PEEL SURFERS:
Davis Blackwell,
George Humphreys
Harry McPherson.

MID-WEST SURFERS:
James Fleming
Fletcher Cremasco

www.surfingwa.com.au
www.facebook.com/surf.westernaustralia
 
Source: Surfing WA

Author: Mike McMonigal

Tags: Surf Training, Scholarships, High Performance, Surfing WA

Training: Surfersvillage