IAS History
In 1985 a committee comprised of representatives from government, education, business and community sport in the Illawarra region, investigated the benefits of sports and lifestyle opportunities for the area. As a result The Illawarra Institute of Sport was launched, becoming Australia’s first regional Academy of Sport.
With the help of the University of Wollongong facilitating the sporting programs the committee goal became a reality. For funding reasons, the term ‘’Institute”, was replaced with “Academy” prior to incorporation in 1988. The Illawarra Institute of Sports has now offered over 4,000 young athletes scholarships and the development to achieve sporting excellence.
Sports Programs
Over the years as the IAS grew and developed, over 18 sports became part of the programs on offer. Since 1986, gymnastics, touch, athletes with a disability, basketball, soccer, rugby league, sailing, surfing and the ten remaining sports have been offering sporting programs.
Currently the Illawarra Academy of Sport offers golf, netball, hockey, cricket, rugby union, cycling, swim sports, lawn bowls, tennis and individual a special athletes program. These programs inspire and develop local athletes to obtain high sporting achievements.
A Growing Example
The regional Academy format that was originally developed by the IAS, has been replicated across Australia and overseas. New South Wales currently has ten independent regional academies, with the national network total currently at nineteen Australia wide.
The strength of the IAS has always been its ability to strategically align partnerships with the local community. From the NSW government, local governments, Illawarra businesses, sporting associations (at regional and state levels) to the support of the University of Wollongong, these alignments have kept the IAS competitive.
Many of the Illawarra’s finest athletes have come through the Illawarra of Academy of Sport’s programs. Some of the well known names and their sports are listed below.
CRICKET: Brett Lee, Shane Lee and Phil Jacques
CYCLING: Josh Kersten, Ben Kersten and Rochelle Gilmore.
HOCKEY: Casey Eastham and Kieran Govers.
LAWN BOWLS: Karen Murphy, Brett Duprez and Tom Ellem
NETBALL: Sarah Bennett and Leah Shoard
RUGBY LEAGUE: Brett Stewart, Craig Fitzgibbons, Ben Hornby, Luke Bailey, Josh Morris and more.
RUGBY UNION: Alex Kaanar, Daniel Palmer and Joel Diggins
SURFING: Michael Lowe, Jake Spooner and Dylan Longbottom
SWIMMING: Lori Munz, Jason cram, Robert Hurley and Emma McKeon
INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES PROGRAM: Sally Fitzgibbons and Ryan Gregson.
