Illawarrra Academy of Sport holds open testing day for aspiring young athletes

Sixteen-year-old basketball player Cody Luzuriaga wants to play professionally and he does not mind where, but first he needs to see how he stacks up against elite athletes his age.

He will need excellent endurance to succeed in the high-intensity sport, as well as strength to use his body against defenders and explosive jumping ability.

Australian sports stars such as swimmer Emma McKeon, surfer Sally Fitzgibbons and skateboarder Keiran Woolley came through the Illawarra Academy of Sport (IAS).

Now it has opened its doors to the public to see who has what it takes.

"I was most interested in testing my jumping ability because I play basketball, as well as my speed and strength," Cody said.

About 50 students were tested by staff at the IAS in Wollongong.

"A lot of the kids have never been through testing before," strength and conditioning coordinator Courtney Gallagher said.

"So it's good data for them to have to improve on and develop their athletic ability and, if they do similar tests in the future, they can look back on how far they've come.

"We'll compare them against the athletes already in the IAS and provide them with averages and where their results sit — that gives them an idea if sport is something they want to pursue."

Testing provides vital yardstick

Athletes aged between 12 and 17 underwent sprinting, jumping, mobility, power and endurance tests at the University of Wollongong Sports Hub.

Ms Gallagher said the day could provide a reality check for students, but also valuable advice to help them reach a higher level.

"It's quite difficult [to make it professionally] — you've got to get that development early on, but even if you don't, you can still get into pathways at a later adolescent age," she said.

The open testing day aims to attract children from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, as well as culturally diverse and low socio-economic backgrounds.

Illawarra Academy of Sport chief executive Salv Carmusciano said the day was an important part of ensuring people from disadvantaged backgrounds had a pathway to professional sport.

"For us, it's about being accessible — we've been around 40 years and prided ourselves on having a scholarship program where the kids don't pay anything," he said.

"Costs can be a barrier and we like to think an organisation like ours has been able to remove that and, for us, we'd like to have more places closer to those [disadvantaged] communities that don't require a 30-minute trip in the car, and be more accessible.

"They all have a dream and I believe they feel they've got what it takes — and so they should.

"Our job is to nurture that ambition and willingness to be the best they can be.

'A great day to experience'

Gerringong soccer player and runner Ada Houldsworth said the data from the day would provide a valuable resource as she continued to progress through her early sporting career.

"I came to see where I'm at and when I'm older to see how far I've come," the 12-year-old said.

"I've found the weighted lunges today challenging, but I was surprised how far I could actually jump, because I didn't know how to jump until I was 10.

Aoife Moroney from Bowral in the Southern Highlands plays Oztag and touch football.

She said she played at a representative level for both sports but would like to make national teams in the future.

"Today gave me more confidence, because when I'm out on the field I can lose my confidence if there's a lot of new people around," Aoife said.

"Today was a great day to experience that."

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