IAS netballers with coordinator Margaret Corbett in 1987. Photo: IAS.
The Illawarra Academy of Sport (IAS) has been developing young talent and creating pathways for athletic excellence for 40 years but the organisation’s impact extends beyond the success stories of their internationally renowned alumni.
The Academy prides itself on putting the growth of the individual and the community at the heart of its culture.
Four decades ago there was a scramble to find ways to improve athletic performance on a national scale, which sparked an interest and investment in development opportunities.
IAS Life Member Brian Weir said as a result of Australia’s poor performance at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, the Federal Government did several studies and by 1981 decided to set up the Australian Institute of Sport.
But in the Illawarra something was growing from the ground up, with the late Ted Tobin leading a push to improve opportunities in the regional area after seeing his own son struggle while pursuing cricket.
“Parallel with that was these three gentlemen in Wollongong, Ted Tobin, Tom Penrose – who was the senior lecturer in sport science at the University – and Ian Richardson who was the regional manager of the department of sport and recreation,” Brian said.
“They had a vision to get the best young athletes in the region and give them the best chance to go the next step, whatever that may be and create a pathway.”
Former Cunningham MP Steve Martin undertakes fitness testing at IAS. Photo: IAS.
They advertised for young athletes to apply and provided them with top coaches like Margaret Corbett, who was the state’s director of netball coaching at the time.
And with a $20,000 government boost, training began in 1986 with inaugural programs in gymnastics, hockey, basketball and netball under the name the Illawarra Institute of Sport, the first regional institute of its kind in the country.
The Institute was changed to Academy just a few years later for funding reasons.
But a lot more than the name has changed since its origin. In its first year the IAS had 74 athletes; it now has 265.
Sports like sailing or lawn bowls have come and gone, with female involvement in sports also increasing and more regional centres have been established across the state with sporting bodies also getting involved.
“That has meant that sports like netball and cricket tend to have the same program roll out across the state, whereas we used to develop our own programs,” Brian said.
“I think that is one of the challenges because we are a local community organisation and our first interest has been developing our Illawarra kids. So to have some of those sports say they’ll just trot out this standard model all across the state, that’s been a delicate balance for us.”
The inaugural IAS hockey squad. Photo: IAS.
But Brian said the most significant evolution had been around education, now covering everything from nutrition, psychology and financial management to female health.
And individual athletes have been able to benefit regardless of their chosen sport.
“We could never have envisaged the breadth of education. I think there was a narrow focus of people training hard, turning up, getting selected, but now sport is so multidimensional – on the field, off the field, injuries, drugs, ethical conduct, coaches and the costs,” Brian said.
“We expanded our education programs considerably so that essentially we were trying to say if you become a fantastic athlete you’re also going to have to do the right thing.”
“We drum into them it’s not win at any cost.
“You’re not a drug cheat, you don’t break the rules, you got to win on your merits.”
And it’s helped more than 8000 alumni including the likes of legendary athletes Emma McKeon, Brett Lee and Sally Fitzgibbon.
“We never would have dreamt 40 years ago in our wildest dreams that we would have athletes that would be global icons,” Brian said.
“You look at them as having enormous talent, enormous psychological strength to get there and you’d like to think the academy has helped them.”
Before Emma McKeon was Australia’s most decorated Olympian, she was an IAS athlete. Photo: IAS.
IAS CEO Salv Carmusciano said its history said a lot about what being an academy athlete can help young people achieve.
“We rely heavily on word of mouth in terms of promoting the academy and services and its because of those outcomes that we have such a good reputation and have been able to sustain it for so long,” he said.
But it’s more than just making exceptional athletes, it’s also about creating good human beings.
“It’s not just developing sporting personalities and professional sportspeople but developing true citizens that make considerable contribution to the community around them,” Salv said.
Hundreds will mark the 40-year milestone at a special celebration on Monday (1 September), with recognition for this year’s cohort as well as those who came before them.
The IAS is also calling on the next round of athletes to express their interest in joining the academy.
And while acknowledging the past, the IAS will also look to the future as it continues its dedication to honouring the core values on which it was built.
“I think we just want to continue to be a centre of excellence for the region’s top talent,” Salv said.
“I know that the vision of the late, great Ted Tobin was not just to develop great sportspeople but to develop quality citizens that would give back to the region.
“That sticks true today and I think that will still be the ethos we live by in 40 years.”
Expression of interest for athletes can be made through the IAS website.
