THE Northern Inland Academy of Sport water polo squad met for an intensive two-day camp at Tamworth’s 360 Fitness Club on the weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The second year of the program has seen a few changes which have been mainly driven by Water Polo NSW’s establishment of an academy for metro players.
They’ll be integrating elements of that into the NIAS program.
“The pilot program they are doing as far as dry land gym and pool sessions – we’ll implement that,” NIAS assistant coach and manager Gail Salter said.
“The dryland component focusses on core strength, leg strength, flexibility and speed.”
The pool work is aimed at refining technique as well as building endurance and leg strength.
The weekend session was the fourth time the squad has got together and the first of five two-day intensive sessions.
“The athletes have also all been given a swimming program and exercise program they must maintain themselves,” Salter said.
And to keep their match fitness up there is an expectation that they play in the Wednesday night mixed competition in Tamworth or the UNE competition for the Armidale contingent.
The Tamworth competition was started last year.“We have four teams,” Salter said.
The first round was last week and will continue through to mid-Septemer.
Craig Salter is again heading the program with the assistance of wife Gail, while Paddy O’Brien has also returned as a trainee coach. He’ll be joined by Armidale’s Reece
Rowbottom.
One of a number of representative players, Rowbottom has come on board this year and will be a point of contact for the Armidale squad members.
Salter said one of the key focusses this year is to work more closely with the Tamworth and Armidale associations.
The weekend session started with some body balance and as far as water polo specific skills they focused on driving in attack and centre forward and centre half play.
360 NIAS SQUAD
Zoe George (Armidale), Abby Griffiths (Tamworth), Mikayla Gross (Tamworth), Samantha Klasen (Appleby), Harriet Lynden (Tamworth), Billie Mitchell (Tamworth), Claire O’Mara (Tamworth), Madeline O’Brien (Gunnedah), Dolly Powell (Calala), Abby Rae (Tamworth), Katie Salter (Tamworth), Tahlia Stuart (Armidale), Giaan White (Tamworth), Luke Buckley (Warral), Ethan George (Tamworth), John George (Armidale), Jayden Gimbergh (Bective), Luke Johnstone (Tamworth), Liam Mair (Tamworth) Jake Mitchell (Tamworth), Joe Mitchell (Tamworth) and Harry Rowbottom (Armidale). Program staff: Head Coach: Craig Salter, Head Coach, Gail Salter, Assistant Coach and Program Manager and Paddy O’Brien, Trainee Coach.
