IN PICTURES: Great Southern Academy of Sport hosts launch party with young athletes to mark first birthday

The Great Southern Academy of Sport celebrated its first anniversary with a launch party, featuring a host of the region’s talented athletes and those supporting their dreams. More than 100 people attended the event at Retravision Stadium on July 31, with several presentations including one from special guest and former Hockeyroo Georgia Wilson. With the Olympic Games on in Paris, Wilson spoke to the group of young athletes about the highs and lows of sport at the elite level after she was a late call-up to the Tokyo Games with the national women’s hockey team. GSAS has a vision “to foster Great Southern athletes to reach for the stars”, and its program involves 30 young athletes across a variety of sports including basketball, swimming, cricket, mountain biking, volleyball, football, gymnastics, surfing, soccer, netball and athletics. GSAS executive officer Danielle Carne welcomed guests to the evening and made special mention of WA Institute of Sport chief executive Matt Fulton, who travelled to attend. After a welcome to country from Menang Noongar elder Lester Coyne, GSAS vice-chair Tom Moir addressed the crowd, and later GSAS performance coach Chris Dorman took the athletes through a presentation on what was required at the top level. Among the crowd were community leaders, sports representatives, and the families of participating athletes.