Workshop shows athletes there is more to sport

Being a champion is not only about being the best on competition day.

It’s also about having strength of character and making good choices on and off the sports field.

To set South West Academy of Sport athletes on the path to carving out a long and rewarding career in sport, a Developing Champions workshop was held in Bunbury earlier this month.

A partnership between the Department of Sport and Recreation and Western Australian Institute of Sport, the program aims to show participants that being a successful sports man or woman takes a well-rounded individual.

Topics covered during the session at the South West Sports Centre on Saturday, July 16 included “Mental Skills for Performance” and “A Positive Me”.

SWAS chief executive officer Bernice Butlion said the academy’s emerging talents benefited from participating in the workshop that was presented by sprint kayak champion and Olympian Jesse Phillips.

“It’s a holistic program where athletes can increase their life skills, preparing them for their performance on and off the sports field,” she said.

“We were fortunate to have Jesse present at the workshop. He has the experience of competing as an athlete at the London Olympics and will be a coach at this year’s Games in Rio.”

SWAS aims to nurture tomorrow’s champions through the provision of talent development pathways and access to support services. It has partner sports programs in Australian Rules football, hockey and netball.

An individual athlete support program is available for individuals in sports not covered by the partner programs.