SPORTS DEVELOPMENT Tertiary & Accredited
Otherwise known as the 'Lakers Elite Sports Program', Sports Development is an integrated study that focuses on specialised sports development for the individual. Students learn about principles of high performance, self awareness and understanding of their prowess in an individual sport. They learn about and practice ways of maintaining elite performance. This course prepares students aspiring to participate in elite sport.
Lake Ginninderra College offers this course to students who are developing or potential elite athletes or officials participating in ACT level ‘satellite’ programs, aiming to assist students to develop in both their academic and sporting endeavours.
The study of Sports Development provides pathways to further study in both tertiary and vocational areas as well as providing foundations for future involvement in elite sport as a competitor, official or administrator.
Students who apply for this course will be actively training and competing at a state or national level.
Historically this course has only been identified as Accredited. However since 2019, Sports Development also offers a Tertiary option for students wanting a more academically challenging course that can count towards their ATAR. The program will also continue to provide pastoral care to students assisting with balancing the demands of training without compromising their study goals.
Units
- Personal Development in Sport
- Building an Elite Athlete
- Athletes in Society
- Performance Analysis
Student’s Role
The students meet on a regular basis with Sports Development staff to provide evidence of participation in their chosen sport to monitor progress.
Mondays - all students participate in 40 minute sessions run by our professional Physiotherapist Toby Conroy which focuses on recovery, strength & conditioning as well as injury assessments.
Tuesdays - 60 minute theory lessons to focus on the curriculum content and work on assessments.
Thursdays - 120 minute afternoon time slots are set aside for sport.
Each student is required to complete a variety of assessment items that includes research assignments, video presentations, self & coach assessments all while improving their physical, well-being and academic development. For the award of grades students are also expected to complete assignments related to the topics presented in the Sports Development curriculum along with a practical skills evaluation and attendance form completed by the Sporting Organisation that the student is involved in. This feedback on athlete training and development and competition progress is essential for accurate and relevant assessment.
The Tertiary course will require a significant increase in assessment expectation and standards.
Excursion Opportunities
Elite Sports students are offered the opportunity to attend major excursions in their time at Lake Ginninderra. In 2019 the college entered 5 teams to National School Championships. This resulted in 3 National Titles and a runners up. In 2022, we returned to Nationals after the Covid break to win a further 3 National School Titles. To participate and win National titles in high participation sports such as Basketball, Volleyball and Futsal in the one year is quite unprecedented and reflects well on the college's willingness to compete and participate in multiple sports.
Melbourne: Students visit and compete against Sports Colleges (Maribyrnong & Rowville) in a range of sports as well as professional club environments and elite training/playing facilities.
New Zealand: Students visit and compete against select NZ Schools in Basketball and Volleyball as well as participate in recreational activities.
Basketball
The College Basketball program has an outstanding record with success in competitions at local, national and international level.
Outside of the weekly inter-colleges competition the students have the opportunity to represent the school at National Championships held in Melbourne each year.
This includes students who are scholarship holders at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence based at the AIS.
The men’s and women’s ‘Lakers’ have won the Champion School of Australia competition a number of times. The women won the title in 1988, 89, 90 & 2022 whilst the men have won the championship in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2019 & 2022
Futsal
In conjunction with the Physical Education Sport Specific R Unit, Sports Development offers students looking to develop in Futsal the opportunity to play in competitions outside of those offered by ACT Inter-College Sports.
Lake Ginninderra enters girls and boys teams in NSW schools regional single day qualification tournaments in both Wollongong and Campbelltown, and then attend an overnight excursion to the State Finals held in Penrith. In 2019, we entered the National titles for the first time on the Gold Coast, where our girls won the National Championship.
The college men’s team have won the national schools championship on four occasions and the women won the NSW/ACT championship as well as the National title in 2019.
Volleyball
Students looking to develop in Volleyball have the opportunity to play in competitions outside of those offered by ACT Inter-College
Sports, entering School, State and National competitions.
Members of the boys and girls Volleyball programs compete in the ACT Schools Championship then prepare for the Australian Schools Volleyball Cup held in Melbourne annually.
Along with numerous ACT representatives at the school this team includes students who are scholarship holders at the Volleyball Australia Australian Volleyball Academy based at the AIS. The school has been successful across multiple divisions over the years and in 2016, 2018, 2019 & 2022 won the Australian Schools Cup in the Men's Honours division.
Australian Institute of Sport
Lake Ginninderra has a 30+ year history supporting athletes from the AIS. Currently scholarship holders from the National Centre of Excellence programs for Basketball and Volleyball, form part of our Elite Sports Program.