midfielder
Well-Known Member
Interesting article in the Herald Sun today, I know we have sports schools in NSW .......... but this just rubs the wrong way with me .
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...8-2862,00.html
VICTORIAN high schools are transforming themselves into US-style sports academies to produce Australia's next generation of sporting heroes.
In the past two years, six have begun elite programs leading to hundreds of city students shifting schools and rural students leaving home.
Others are on waiting lists, desperate to make the cut at any of the schools next year.
In a move that mirrors US colleges, which place equal emphasis on sporting and academic results, students often have to maintain a certain academic standard or risk being barred from sport.
Students often have 10 hours a week of sport training, and 20 hours of academic work.
The schools hire elite professional coaches.
Rowville Secondary College, Eumemmerring College, Grovedale Secondary College and Box Hill Senior Secondary College have opened sports academies since 2005.
Eltham College in Research will open its swimming, soccer and hockey school next year.
Maribyrnong Secondary College became Victoria's first government sports school last year with the help of a $10 million state government grant.
Most of the 110 sports students there specialise in Australian rules, swimming, tennis, basketball and soccer.
Five are already junior international sports stars, including soccer player Teddy Yabio, 15, who plays attack for the Joeys, the junior Socceroos team.
Diving sisters Selina and Louisa Ma, in years 10 and 11, finished 19th in the world championships for their synchronised 3m platform dive.
They are trying to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
The school is setting up a state-of-the-art sports centre, with show courts, running track, spas, gym, recovery rooms and classrooms. It will teach sports psychology, science, diet, even media training.
Rowville Secondary College opened its sports academy this year and has 111 soccer, golf and basketball students, and plans to expand into netball next year.
Rowville assistant principal George Perini said peak sports bodies were overwhelmingly supportive of the move.
"They know there are many young elite sport stars who are doing it hard, training before school, after school, sport all weekend," Mr Perini said.
"This is how the students burn out."
Drew Allison, head of sport at Northampton Academy in the UK, said it was good to see Aussie schools catching up.
British schools specialise in one of six disciplines: sport, business, performing arts, science, technology or language.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...8-2862,00.html
VICTORIAN high schools are transforming themselves into US-style sports academies to produce Australia's next generation of sporting heroes.
In the past two years, six have begun elite programs leading to hundreds of city students shifting schools and rural students leaving home.
Others are on waiting lists, desperate to make the cut at any of the schools next year.
In a move that mirrors US colleges, which place equal emphasis on sporting and academic results, students often have to maintain a certain academic standard or risk being barred from sport.
Students often have 10 hours a week of sport training, and 20 hours of academic work.
The schools hire elite professional coaches.
Rowville Secondary College, Eumemmerring College, Grovedale Secondary College and Box Hill Senior Secondary College have opened sports academies since 2005.
Eltham College in Research will open its swimming, soccer and hockey school next year.
Maribyrnong Secondary College became Victoria's first government sports school last year with the help of a $10 million state government grant.
Most of the 110 sports students there specialise in Australian rules, swimming, tennis, basketball and soccer.
Five are already junior international sports stars, including soccer player Teddy Yabio, 15, who plays attack for the Joeys, the junior Socceroos team.
Diving sisters Selina and Louisa Ma, in years 10 and 11, finished 19th in the world championships for their synchronised 3m platform dive.
They are trying to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
The school is setting up a state-of-the-art sports centre, with show courts, running track, spas, gym, recovery rooms and classrooms. It will teach sports psychology, science, diet, even media training.
Rowville Secondary College opened its sports academy this year and has 111 soccer, golf and basketball students, and plans to expand into netball next year.
Rowville assistant principal George Perini said peak sports bodies were overwhelmingly supportive of the move.
"They know there are many young elite sport stars who are doing it hard, training before school, after school, sport all weekend," Mr Perini said.
"This is how the students burn out."
Drew Allison, head of sport at Northampton Academy in the UK, said it was good to see Aussie schools catching up.
British schools specialise in one of six disciplines: sport, business, performing arts, science, technology or language.
