Back to Issue 470 | 21 October 22 | W3T4

Change the Game

Featured in St Catherine’s News, Spring Edition, 2022

In 2022, St Catherine’s established the St Catherine’s Athlete Development Academy, a platform for aspiring female athletes to further develop their sporting abilities through individualised sport-specific training programs and a suite of athlete education services including sports psychology, nutrition, recovery and injury prevention, time management and goal setting.

Currently in an initial pilot-program stage, the Development Academy is headed up by Ms Kim Mulhall, a Level 3 Athletics Australia Accredited Coach, and a current Victorian thrower who has represented Australia at two world juniors, two Commonwealth Games and a World University Games.

Kim shares her insights on the Development Academy below:

“The aim of the Athlete Development Academy (ADA) is to assist and develop girls who are already showing talent and promise in their chosen sports to get them to the next level and beyond,” explains Kim.

“It is important that young girls feel empowered and confident in their chosen sports. It is also important they understand the benefits of strength training for their everyday wellbeing as well as improving their sporting outcomes. Through the ADA we can educate our female athletes to build their confidence and assist them in reaching their sporting goals.

“Along with this, the Academy also provides our female athletes with guidance and support in goal setting, nutrition, sports psychology, mindset, and load management.

“Within the pilot program for 2022 we have 13 female athletes participating. We hope to expand this in the years to come, particularly with the refurbishment of the Dorothy Pizzey Centre to include a high-performance training environment to elevate our athletes
to maximise their performance and motivate them to continually strive for excellence.

“The ADA is an innovative approach to not only building the physical capabilities of our athletes at St Catherine’s but also empowering our young women to better understand the importance of strength and conditioning as part of their training regime and lifelong
health. It is great that St Catherine’s is leading the way on this,” shares Kim.

ATHLETE PROFILES
Catherine Ross
Year 9
Swimming, Rowing, Cross Country Running & Skiing, Alpine Skiing

Swimming – State Champions Record Holder 4x50m Freestyle Relay (’19); Snowsports – first place Victorian Interschool Cross Country Individual (Mt Buller ‘19), Third Place Victorian Interschools Skier Cross Individual (Mt Buller ’22); Rowing – first place Year 9 Division 1 Firbank Regatta (’22)

“Whilst I have not been training with the Academy for long, it has already expanded my knowledge and skill within my sports, helping me get the best result out of my body. It has also been interesting to look at my sports through a strength and conditioning perspective and learn more about athlete nutrition.

During the ADA sessions we focus on strength and conditioning training, goal setting within our sports, and nutrition.

For me, sport is a place where I gain new friendships, expand my knowledge, and gain a sense of enjoyment out of pushing myself physically and mentally to achieve my sporting goals.

Competing for St Catherine’s I enjoy how each sport forms a small community within the School as a whole.”
Lily Taylor
Year 11
Hockey, Athletics, Soccer, Softball, Swimming Rowing – Head of Schoolgirls Regatta Intermediate Champions (’21); Softball – GSV Runners Up (’21); Hockey – GSV Premiers 2021 & 2022

“St Catherine’s has always supported me in achieving my best in sports. This support has been through specialised coaches, personalised feedback and encouragement shown by my coaches, teachers, and other students as well.

“Improving my strength and conditioning within the ADA means I can challenge myself in a more personal and familiar setting, rather than in a large fitness centre. It has also provided me with a better understanding of sports nutrition and what foods benefit my body.

“With Ms Mulhall as our personal strength coach, we are being taught the correct technique which means my body is gaining strength for my chosen sports and I am limiting the chance of injury from incorrect technique. I feel more confident in strength training because of the ADA sessions.”

 

 
Eloise Burdett-Moore
Year 11
AFLW, Downhill Skiing Snowsports – first overall, Mt Buller Race Club King of the Mountain Series, Mt Buller Race Club Athlete Leader; AFLW – Youngest player to
be selected to represent Old Geelong in the Senior Women’s team.

“The Athlete Development Academy allows me to improve my skills, strength and conditioning and increase my athlete knowledge through sessions integrated into our school days and in a location that was easy to access as we are already here! The Academy is an amazing way for me to learn how to balance school and sport throughout the rest of Year 11 and Year 12.

“We have learnt about nutrition and how we need to keep on top of fueling our bodies for training and games whilst working around the limitations of being at School from 8.00am to 4.00pm.

“Through the Academy my hope is to gain further organisational skills, including balancing school/athlete life as I head into Year 12 in 2023, as well as improving within my sports through the structured sessions.”