About 20 of the region’s promising talent celebrated the year at a function at the Longroom at the University Oval last night.
Programme manager Carmel Leslie said rather than a graduation, the night was a chance to celebrate the athletes’ achievements at the academy in the past year.
The academy, home to about 50 athletes overall, provided wrap-around support for young athletes based off the Te Whare Tapa Whā model, including an athlete’s physical, mental, spiritual, family and social wellbeing.
Leslie was proud to see all of the academy athletes as they navigated through their sporting careers.
"For me, where the success comes is when these athletes leave school and go on to life, tertiary education, work or other, and have to balance that independence . . . as well as dedicate up to 20 hours of training a week," Leslie said.
"That’s when things get really tricky.
"The athletes that stay in . . . and if we can keep them going after those first two years out of home, then they’ve got a better chance.
"I think that’s where the academy is really, really important, that offering support and checking in on their wellbeing."
The academy accepted 20 new athletes for the year one programme in 2024, ranging across 13 sportsincluding basketball, curling, squash, motocross, netball and athletics.
Some of the highlights for academy members this year were Olivia Russell, who is currently in Scotland as the skip at the world mixed fours curling championships, and Jack Steele, who was part of the national under-21 men’s team.
In hockey, Ava Beens, Fergus Oberlin-Brown and Nick Casey were all selected for national under-18 camps. In addition, Millie Mackenzie was selected for the national secondary school national development camp, and Maggie Dowling competed at the Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, where she placed 21st in the luge.
