The tours that the Northern Inland Academy of Sport provide for their athletes are one of the biggest building blocks for the young competitors. From the Your Local Club Academy Games to the Tamworth Services Club Rugby League tour of Fiji, these trips help build maturity, confidence and independence in the athletes as well as life memories and a bond between the athletes.
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The Tamworth City Toyota Basketball program recently toured Sydney. It started with the Sydney Kings v Melbourne United NBL game. It’s fair to say the highlight for the athletes came half way through the game, when over the loudspeaker the NIAS athletes were recognized for their attendance by the game announcer and appeared on television for their parents and friends at home to witness.
Matt Hobson, the NIAS girls head coach, said it was unexpected but a pleasant surprise “We had no idea It was coming. They just announced it over the loudspeaker, all the kids were beaming with excitement. This is a memory that will stick with them for a while.”
The NIAS squads then watched Newington and Shore go head-to-head in the GPS first grade basketball competition. The boys’ and girls’ squads then split up for their own match play, the girls travelling out to Pymble Ladies College and the boys staying at Newington.
NIAS CEO James Cooper says the playing opportunity is fantastic for the athletes.
“Obviously the basketball squads have the Your Local Club Academy Games coming up in April in Newcastle, which is a weekend of competitive games against the other Academies, but every playing opportunity brings with it a wealth of understanding and learning.”
The final day of the tour was a training session run by Newington College’s Director of Basketball, Rex Nottage, who has over 28 years’ experience as a basketball coach and has spent time as NSW Director of Coaching, NSW ITC Coach, NBL Coach and Coach for NSW State and Australian teams. He is accredited with a NCAS Level 3 and has a FIBA Masters coaching license.
“It is access to this level of coaching for our athletes that really sets them apart. To be able to be put through their paces by someone of Coach Nottage’s calibre has given our athletes an understanding of where their abilities need to be, what they need to focus on and how hard they need to work to take that next step," Cooper said.
The Tamworth City Toyota Basketball squads will hold two more training sessions ahead of the Your Local Club Academy Games. The girls finished second at the event in 2018 and both sides took away the silver in 2017.
Athlete Profile
Alice Donnelly
Age: I’m 13 years old
Preferred position: I play goal attack (GA)
What NIAS program are you in? I’m in the Glen Innes Services Club and Carlo’s IGA Netball program.
How long have you played netball for? I’ve been playing netball for three years, but this is my first year in the NIAS Netball program.
What has been your best result to date? I played for the Gunnedah Opens side in the Open’s division. We finished up runners up in the grand finale, in 2017 I won the title, we also won the schools competition and finished 12th at the State Age Championships in Sydney.
