Second year in academy squad

Sixteen-year-old Woy Woy athlete Nicola Stone has been selected as part of the 2011 Central Coast Academy of Sport netball squad for the second year in a row.

Nicola is a returning scholarship athlete who a recipient of a mayoral award at the Academy Awards evening held in November last year for her commitment to the netball program.

"Nicola is a very consistent goal shooter who has shown consistent improvement throughout the program in 2010," said head coach Ms Lauren Fahey.

Nicola also played at the games tournament for all regional academies in NSW last July in Maitland, with the team finishing in second place.

Nine scholarship athletes were selected to return from last year's squad including Nicola, and 11 girls gained selection into the academy program for the first time.

The Central Coast Academy of Sport netball program forms part of the Netball NSW pathway for athletes to gain state team selections and higher representative honours with the opportunity to access high quality coaching and skill development in a local setting.

"The academy program focuses on individual skills while we will also need to work as a team and represent the region at a number of events throughout the year including the Clubs NSW Academy Games in Armidale in April," said Ms Fahey.

The academy squad will have regular training sessions at Central Coast Grammar School and will also undergo specific sport science testing by The University of Newcastle and educational seminars such as nutrition and sports psychology.

Media Release, 10 Jan 2011 Luke Tucker, Central Coast Academy of Sport Interviewee: Lauren Fahey