THE 2012-2013 Hunter Academy of Sport sailing talent development squad will complete its series of indoor sessions next Monday night at the Belmont 16 Ft Sailing Club with a general review of its program and individual presentations (summarizing their season’s performances) by each of the squad members.
The squad’s final on water session is set down for Sunday, March 17 at Belmont when the squad members will be racing 16 Ft skiffs.
Following this review we will turn our attention to the 2013-2014 Hunter Academy sailing program, which will start in June and continue through to March 2014.
There will be a commitment of approximately one activity (coaching session, physical testing and training, lecture by consultant etc.) per month during this time.
Program activities will be organised to “fit in” with the sailing calendar so that clashes with championships do not occur.
Successful applicants must be prepared to make a total commitment to the program.
Those eligible to nominate for selection in this Australian Institute of Sport type program are boys and girls who are still at school in year 11 or below (under 18 years of age), and who sail an intermediate or senior mono-hull class of boat.
The squad is normally comprised of the top 10 to 15 young sailors in the Hunter Region, which includes the Central Coast, The Manning area, all of the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle.
This program aims to supplement, not replace, current class association coaching programs.
The Hunter Academy’s Sailing Program has four main aspects to it.
It gives participants the opportunity to:
1. Benefit from the expertise available through its elite consultants in areas such as sports psychology, fitness, and diet.
2. Improve their sailing skills by having on the water coaching sessions with expert sailing coaches.
3. Broaden their sailing horizons by getting involved in things like keel boat racing, match racing and skiff racing.
4. Improve their sailing knowledge by attending regular seminars on various topics like tactics, rules and protests, rigs and sail, regatta preparation, weather etc.
The new program co-ordinator will be Allan Morton and he will be assisted by some prominent sailing personnel and leading state and national coaches during the program.
Nominations forms will be available in the near future from all local sailing clubs or from the Hunter Academy
of Sport Office, and must be returned to the academy office by Friday, April 26.
Any questions about the nominations, or the academy sailing program, phone Allan
Morton on 0427 616 822 or academy on 4926 4892.