|
Photo caption: NCAS netballer Kristy Durheim is moving to Sydney next week after accepting a scholarship to the NSW Institute of Sport.
It has been an exciting time over the past few weeks for the North Coast Academy of Sport (NCAS) netball squad with a number of its current and past squad members gaining selection into various state squads.
Sponsored by the Kempsey Macleay RSL Club, the NCAS Netball program, which commenced in 1990, has gained a strong reputation throughout the North Coast netball community as being the vital program that talented junior netballers chance of higher level selections. The list of these recent selections is testimony to the structured identification and development pathways established and supported by Netball NSW which progress talented club juniors through to national level players.
Late last month, Kristy Durheim (Lismore) gained a scholarship with the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS). She is relocating to Sydney next week to join with the 18-strong squad which will again be under the direction of head coach Lisa Beehag. Durheim will be welcomed into the NSWIS squad by past-NCAS netballer and also Sydney Swifts squad member, Kelly Pepper (ex-Port Macquarie, NCAS 2002 to 2004).
In between her NSWIS squad commitments, which include twice weekly squad training and competing in the Netball NSW State League Division 2, Durheim, who last year completed her HSC while at St Johns College Woodlawn, has just accepted an offer at Sydney University to study a three-year degree in health sciences.
Added to the good news of Durheim's selection is that of Verity Simmons from Grafton, who last weekend was selected into the NSW 17 & Under Squad that will play in the 2007 National Underage Titles in Melbourne from 10-15 April. Simmons was one of only 18 players selected from across the state, and was the only player to be selected from the North Coast.
High level selection also graced past-NCAS athlete Kimberly Borger (ex-Frederickton, NCAS 2002-04) who this week was selected into the NSW 19 & Under Squad. Borger was also selected into the Hunter Jaegers squad that will compete in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy season this coming season.
Finally, Lauren Berger (ex-Yamba, NCAS 1999-2002), after progressing from NSWIS to the Australian Institute of Sport, and then playing one season with Sydney Swifts in 2006, has transferred to Hunter Jaegers and will play alongside Borger in the CBT competition.
NCAS is a non-government and not-for-profit organisation. NCAS, which is supported by foundation partners NSW Sport & Recreation and Southern Cross University, currently delivers Sport Talent Enhancement Programs (STEPs) to identified junior North Coast athletes across 14 sports including basketball, canoe sprint, cycling, hockey, lawn bowling, netball, rowing, rugby, sailing, softball, surf life saving, swimming, tennis and triathlon.
|
