25 Nov 2009

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is pleased to announce the AIS Netball program scholarship holders for 2010.

The AIS Netball Program, which was established as one of the eight foundation sports at the Institute in 1981, is highly regarded as a world class development program.

AIS and Australian 21/U head coach Simone McKinnis says the cream of Australia’s netballers have all progressed through the AIS program, which aims to develop the skills of our junior elite athletes.

‘The AIS Netball program gives players the experience necessary to compete with distinction at both the national and international level,’ McKinnis said.

‘Our training program at the AIS is based on developing skills and tactics required by Australian teams to compete successfully with our major international competitors.’

‘Amongst the 2009 AIS netball scholarship holders we had six players who were members of the Australian 21/U team that won gold at the World Youth Championships in the Cook Islands.’

‘Amy Steel, who was named joint winner of this year’s AIS Junior Athlete of the Year award then went on to be selected in the Australian Diamonds senior squad for the test series against New Zealand.’

AIS Director Professor Peter Fricker said the AIS, in partnership with Netball Australia and state institutes/academies of sport, continued to help strengthen Australian netball through the development of talented juniors.

‘The AIS Netball Program uses the best coaches and sports science and medical staff to nurture and teach outstanding juniors those mental and physical skills needed to perform at national and international levels, and works with athletes to continue their education and career development beyond sport’ Professor Fricker said.

‘We are extremely proud of our record and tradition of producing talented netball players who have gone on to excel at the elite level of the game.’

2010 AIS Netball squad:

Shannon Eagland (Victoria)

Chanel Gomes (Queensland)

Nicola Gray (NSW)

Kellyan Grayson (NSW)

April Letton (NSW)

Mary Livesey (Victoria)

Simone Nalder (Victoria)

Kate Shimmin (South Australia)

Verity Simmons (NSW)

Heidi Wilson (Queensland)

Stepahnie Wood (Queensland)