Geelong’s Elite Young Basketballers Get Boost
This week our best young basketballers were inducted into the Barwon Sports Academy (BSA) as part of Basketball Victoria Country (BVC)’s drive to provide elite basketballers with the best support available.
Geelong has four players in Basketball Australia’s National High Performance Program; George Blagojevic, Taylor Dow, Jacob Pupavac (all Christian College Eagles) and Chantel Horvat (Dolphins).
Each of the four players have received the scholarship benefits from BSA including access to Strength & Conditioning and Athlete Wellbeing sessions with their ongoing basketball skill development being managed by BVC. This program will be reviewed at the end of the year with the intention of considering the inclusion of State High Performance Program athletes in 2014.
Brendan Joyce, BVC High Performance Coordinator acknowledged the work of Chief Executive Officer, BSA, Cameron Loftus and Basketball Geelong in creating this opportunity for the local athletes in the NPP.
Joyce said, "It is the player's first exposure into what it takes to become a professional athlete. BVC and stakeholders will provide holistic support for athletes aspiring to reach great heights."
Basketball Geelong CEO Andrew Scotford said the opportunity to provide our local talent with excellent local services was the key driver for the partnership.
“All elite players are involved at various levels of the sport but this program will ensure that we utilise experts in the field to provide holistic support on the journey to be the best players they can be,” he said.
“The next and important phase of this partnership is to work with these players and their families to identify individual plans to ensure that they can access the best support services whilst balance the demands of being an elite identified player with education and personal life.
“We need to ensure that we manage an athlete as they progress through the pathway of any sport and we have an integrated approach across programs. Basketball Geelong is pleased to co-ordinate that approach for the long term benefit of these and future players.”
NOTE: The NPP will see the athletes attend 3 x 1 day regional training camps and include fitness testing, various weekly sessions with Network Coach(s), sessions with the Victoria Country Head Coach, shooting sessions and strength & conditioning sessions.
The 2nd NPP Camp will be held in Geelong on June 30.
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