Netball has received a boost in the Great Southern Region, with the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries committing $30,000 to the Regional Academy of Sport Program (RASP) based in Albany over the next 18 months.
The funding support, which comes from Royalties for Region through the Regional Athlete Support Program follows the success of the inaugural season of RASP in the Netball WA Great Southern Regional Office, which has delivered a high-performance training environment for athletes, coaches, and officials within their local community.
This has included sport-specific training programs focusing on technical and tactical skills, strength and conditioning programs, off court preparation and health and wellbeing workshops and seminars.
Netball WA General Manager of Community Netball Liz Booth said the ongoing support for talented athletes, coaches and officials was crucial for the development of netball’s talent pathway within regional communities.
“This significant level of support from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries will certainly make a big difference and is a great reward for all of the hard work put in by everyone involved with netball in the region, to ensure the program is maintained to the highest possible level,” Booth said.
“By creating a local training environment, regional athletes, coaches, umpires and officials will be better prepared to take the next step along the talent pathway by receiving the guidance and support that they need.”
Netball WA Great Southern Membership Coordinator and Regional Team Leader, Kelly Dominiak said the announcement was exciting for everyone involved with netball in the region.
“The Great Southern Region has been utilising the assistance of DLGSC and Great Southern Sports Talent Association (GSSTA) funding to build up the high-performance program and training environment, so to see further support being committed is terrific,” Dominiak said.
“I am really starting to see the shift in what netball can bring to the community through our pathways and programs. The athletes have worked considerably hard throughout the season in a new program of a magnitude that they really hadn’t experienced before.
“Over the years, there has been funding assistance given to regional athletes who made a state-level pathway, whereas now they can receive the assistance at a local level, which will hopefully see more regional athletes reaching their full potential and succeeding in state programs.
“I’m looking forward to seeing these programs continue to build.”
