Black Head Surf Life Saving Club junior, Olivia Dew was selected to take part in the 2018 Junior Development Academy, alongside Forster’s Joel Fleming.
Over the three day camp, 44 young leaders gained an early insight into the life of an elite surf sport athlete.
The selected participants from across NSW gathered at Sydney’s Academy of Sport on the Northern Beaches last week for a unique development program aimed at youngsters who have demonstrated an aptitude for any of the water disciplines contested at a surf sport event.
Surf sport development officer, Chiara Nowland was impressed by the talent on display from the youngsters.
“While it was disappointing not to be able to finish on a high with a carnival due to the weather conditions, it was fantastic to see the improvement in just a few short lessons,” Ms Nowland said.
“The sport scientists and coaches were absolutely fantastic and for the athletes to get that knowledge at such a young age will be extremely beneficial to them, and I look forward to seeing how they progress both this summer and beyond.”
The genesis behind the program is to create an opportunity for the young competitors to be exposed to a high performance environment, learn new skills that they can adapt to their own training, and create a pathway into the state’s senior representative squads and beyond.
With many of those selected already enjoying success at the NSW Country and State Championships competition for spots was fiercely contested.
Young athletes participated in training sessions under the eagle eye of some of the best surf sports coaches going around, attended discussions on nutrition, had their skills and techniques analysed and were introduced to high performance and recovery techniques.
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