More than 115 young Indigenous athletes from across the region gathered at PCYC Wagga on Tuesday 23rd June for the Southern Sports Academy’s annual Indigenous Talent Identification Day, making it the largest event in the program’s history.
Made possible through the generous support of Underwriting Agencies Australia (UAA), Riverina Water and Wagga Wagga City Council, the event showcased the incredible depth of Indigenous sporting talent throughout the Southern Sports Academy region.
Participants took part in a full day of testing and sport-specific activities across Basketball, Netball, Rugby, Golf and Cricket, which featured for the first time in the program’s five-year history. Athletes were assessed on a range of physical and technical attributes, with coaches and talent identification staff looking for potential across multiple sporting pathways.
The Indigenous Talent Identification Day is designed to provide regional Indigenous athletes with access to high-performance sporting opportunities and development pathways that may otherwise be difficult to access.
Following the event, approximately 30 athletes will be invited to attend a follow-up development day. From there, athletes will have the opportunity to nominate for Southern Sports Academy sports programs, with successful applicants receiving scholarship support to participate.
Southern Sports Academy Regional Manager Jared Kahlefeldt said the continued growth of the event highlighted both the strength of Indigenous sporting talent across the region and the importance of creating opportunities for young athletes.
“The day was fantastic. This is our fifth year running the Indigenous Talent Identification Day, and it continues to grow year-on-year,” Kahlefeldt said.
“To have more than 115 registrations is incredible and shows just how much talent exists within our Indigenous communities across the region.”
“At its heart, this program is about providing opportunities. We want to help regional Indigenous kids access high-performance pathways, receive quality coaching and athlete development support, and give them every chance to pursue their sporting ambitions.”
“With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games now only six years away, the athletes who participated today are the athletes who could one day be standing on a podium representing Australia on the world stage.”
“I’d also like to thank our partners UAA, Riverina Water and Wagga Wagga City Council. Without their support, this event simply wouldn’t be possible, and we wouldn’t be able to continue offering the program free of charge for participants.”
Now firmly established as a key event on the Southern Sports Academy calendar, the Indigenous Talent Identification Day continues to provide a clear pathway for talented young athletes to progress into academy programs and beyond, with many former participants going on to represent their sport at regional, state and national levels.
Southern Sports Academy extends its sincere thanks to all participating athletes, families, schools, coaches, volunteers and community partners who contributed to the success of the day.
