SAS ACADEMY
The concept of having a Regional
Academy of Sport (RAS) based in Mildura was floated in 1996 with
an interim Board of Management being established in 2001 which
included representatives from the Mallee Sports Assembly, local
sporting Associations and community members. The key objective
of this committee was to assess the viability of having a RAS in
the region and to investigate funding avenues. The demand for the establishment of a RAS in Mildura was highly apparent with support for the concept coming from Local Government, the region's schooling sector and the sporting community.
The SAS was established to overcome the inherent
problem of isolation and tyranny of distance faced by emerging young
athletes in Sunraysia.
The SAS then commenced business in 2005 with the administrative headquarters being based at corporate level partner Sunraysia Murray Group Training (SMGT) offices, located in Eighth Street Mildura.
The SAS conducted its official launch on the 13th of September
2005 at the Mildura Function Centre.
SAS's naming rights sponsor Mildura Finance Limited (MFL) was officially anounced in November 2005 and remained until November 2008. The Academy Board of Management would like to acknowledge the invaluable support MFL provided throughout their three year sponsorship of the Academy.
The honorary patron of the SAS
is Matthew Knights. Matthew was born and raised in Mildura prior to
having a distinguished AFL career with Richmond Tigers. Matthew is
currently the Head Coach of the Essendon Football Club.
The mission of the SAS is “to have an equally focused commitment to improving athletic opportunities and performances and to be the most recognised and professional sporting agency within the regions catchment area ”.
The Academy's Vision Statement is "to provide the emerging athletes of the region with the necessary tools and opportunities to assist them with their athletic and career aspirations".
We achieve
this by the pooling of resources, delivering expert coaching,
training and competition components within our sport programs which is supplemented by sport science and support services.
The SAS currently services the Mildura Rural City Council and South West NSW which has resulted in the academy becoming the first cross border RAS in Australia. 2009 will see further expansion into SA.
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