Fifty of Shellharbour’s brightest young athletes were honoured at the Shellharbour Civic Centre this month. Photo: Shellharbour City Council.
Shellharbour’s rising sports stars were honoured at a special civic reception this month, with 50 young athletes receiving 2025 Illawarra Academy of Sport (IAS) scholarships to help fast-track their sporting dreams.
Recipients, who represent a variety of sports including cycling, basketball, hockey and netball, received the scholarships through the IAS to support their pursuit of sporting excellence.
Shellharbour City Council has supported IAS for many years, and reinforced its commitment to youth sport this year by contributing $22,500 to the scholarship program.
Mayor Chris Homer said the achievements of Shellharbour athletes highlighted the importance of council’s continued investment in sport.
“Our community is incredibly proud of these young sportspeople and all they’ve achieved,” Cr Homer said.
“Being accepted into the academy is a significant milestone and speaks volumes about their talent, determination and work ethic.
“I’m pleased that council’s investment in sporting infrastructure and programs continues to create real opportunities for our athletes to thrive.”
On social media, IAS CEO Salv Carmusciano said it was fantastic to celebrate the Shellharbour athletes at the mayoral reception.
“The progress made by the athletes during the past 12 months is truly remarkable, and we can’t wait to recognise the very best at our upcoming award ceremony,” he said.
“Shellharbour City Council and Mayor Chris Homer are incredible supporters of the academy, announcing a funding uplift at the reception, which will help us deliver greater performance support services to more local, talented athletes in the future.”
IAS, which develops athletes’ skills and prepares them for the broader challenges of a professional sporting career, will celebrate its 40-year history and its Athlete of the Year award winners on 1 September.
It has already announced alumni and Australian hockey great Kieran Govers as a guest of the evening.
Govers was an IAS hockey athlete and won the prestigious DRB Group Tobin Family Athlete of the Year Award in 2004, going on to make his Australian national team debut in 2010.
During his distinguished Australian hockey career, Govers won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics and gold at numerous Hockey World Cup events, Champions Trophy tournaments and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Nominations are open for 2025/26 Illawarra Academy of Sport scholarships for triathlon athletes, cycling athletes (BMX, road and track and mountain bike) and future stars athletes, which is an individual athlete program covering various sports including athletics, swimming, rugby league, AFL and many others.
For more information, visit the website.
2025 Shellharbour IAS scholarship recipients are:
- Basketball: Nicola Holland, Reid Bradley
- Cycling: Joseph Both-Morley, Alexander Jovanovski, Maison Benson, Isaac Baez, Grace Alcock, Charles Alcock, Hugo Alcock, Anabella Warrington, Linkin Davis, Ethan Aleckson, Byron Tynan
- Future Stars: Allegra Fosteris (gymnastics), Baxter Roper (rugby union), Ella Power (athletics), Jake Witt (rugby union and league), Kalani Lucas (rugby union, league, and touch football), Lillian Wiecek (swimming), Lily Griggs (rugby union, league, Oztag, and touch football) Niamh
- Hicks (rugby union), Ruby Kerr (rugby union and athletics), Sianna Badger (athletics), Sidney Bartle (athletics), Sonny Cocksedge (swimming and athletics), Zali Milthorpe (rugby league refereeing and rugby league)
- Golf: Jaidon Kyriacou
- Hockey: Breanne Cresswell, Jayden Mare, Karly Jenkins, Sienna Mason
- Netball: Aleena Carrion, Cate Mansbridge, Kiara Shelton
- Netball Umpires: Abbey Whitchurch, Lily Martin, Manha Khan, Sienna Kaschubs
- Para Sports: Dylan Brann (weightlifting), Jack Gibson (Triathlon), Jessica Rosser (swimming), Lachlan Mackay (swimming)
- Surf Life Saving: Baxter Devine, Jayden Beaumont, Kobe Sims, Mack Elliott
- Triathlon: Bianca de Swardt, Harry Fraser, Will Mason
- Volleyball: Lily Ison
