Provincial Academy hosts successful training camp

The Eden District Sport Academy hosted a successful training camp at the headquarters of the Academy on 10 and 11 October 2014. The training camp tested and evaluated the performance of athletes that are part of the academy at the De Jager Sport Complex in Oudtshoorn.

Approximately 40 people attended the camp, including athletes and coaches at the academy. The various sporting codes included netball, baseball, table tennis, boxing and football. The camp was organised by Alliyah Allie and assistant Stephanie McKay from the Eden Sport Academy Office. The provincial academy, WECSA, assisted in the form of conducting the sport science and coaching sessions. Coaches were empowered by a significant session held by Sport Scientist Shaundre Jacobs on periodization plans which will pave the way in which coaches plan the pathway for their athletes. In order to develop the holistic participant, representatives from loveLife attended to conduct Life skills programmes for the athletes which they enjoyed thoroughly.

Wayne Weitz, manager of the Western Cape Sport Academy (WECSA), was impressed by the quality of athletes and coaches in the Eden District Academy System. He indicated that although the camp went well, there is still a lot of work to be done. The training camp forms part of annual quarterly camps held by the District Academy System. By testing and evaluating the performances of athletes and coaches the sport scientists can obtain valuable information as to how they can accelerate the strengths of the athletes and assist with their weaknesses.

The vision of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport is to achieve a socially inclusive, creative and active Western Cape. The aim is to achieve this through encouraging excellence and inclusiveness in sport and culture through the effective, efficient and sustainable use of resources, and through creative partnerships with others. In moving to excellence, this will create the conditions for access and mass participation, talent identification and skills development.

The camps have assisted in providing athletes with access to opportunities for further development and ensuring that the athletes of the academy will form part of a long term plan leading to excellence.