Across April 11th – 13th, over 150 athletes, coaches, and managers from the Hunter Academy of Sport (HAS) arrived in Tamworth to join the state’s most promising young talents at the 2025 Your Local Club Academy Games. Organised by the Northern Inland Academy of Sport (NIAS), the event took place across multiple venues in Tamworth from April 11th to April 13th, marking the first year of a three-year tenure for the Games in this location.
With participants from 11 Regional Academies across New South Wales, more than 1,500 athletes and their families travelled to compete in this prestigious tournament. HAS stood out as a top performer over the weekend, demonstrating exceptional talent and skill across all their squads despite facing tough competition. The impressive results of their efforts are detailed below:
Basketball
The HAS Girls Basketball team came 2nd in a tough grand final match against Central Coast, while the HAS Boys team finished in 3rd place after a challenging competition. Addison Kirby and Oscar Hurley were named in the All-Star Five team.
Cycling (MTB)
In the Junior Male U15 category, Taj Thornton secured 1st place, while Finn Burgin finished 3rd. Harper Nelmes took 1st place in the Junior Male U17 category, with Dylan Coxon finishing 3rd. Declan Northcott placed 2nd in the Junior Male U15 at the XCO.
Golf
The HAS golf team faced strong competition across 3 days of competition. Seeded into Division 1 for the teams event on Sunday, they competed against Southern Sports Academy. Despite their best efforts and showcasing their skills, the Southern Sports Academy proved too strong. Nevertheless, the HAS golfers demonstrated great talent and determination throughout the tournament.
The HAS Golf squad is supported by Jack Newton Junior Golf, Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club & Callaway
Hockey
In Hockey, the HAS U16 Boys team finished 2nd, and the U18 Girls team claimed 1st place, showcasing their dominance in the sport.
The HAS Hockey squad is sponsored by UAA.
Netball
The HAS Netball teams also excelled, with the Div 1 team securing 1st place and the Div 2 team also finishing 1st. Molly Brownell and Isla Walsh were named MVPs for Div 1 and Div 2, respectively.
The HAS Netball squad is sponsored by Greater Bank.
Triathlon
Grady Platt took 1st place in the Junior Male category, while Zara Campbell and Maddy Platt finished 1st and 2nd in the Junior Female category. Hamish Kirkman secured 3rd place in the Youth Male category, and Audrey Russell finished 2nd in the Youth Female category. The Junior Team Event saw Zara Campbell, Grady Platt, and Samuel Ferguson (Hunter Academy of Sport/Northern Inland Academy of Sport) take 1st place, while Maddy Platt, Jethro Gosson and Ben Cowan finished 3rd. In the Youth Team Event, Audrey Russell, Joey Lim, and Hamish Kirkman secured 2nd place.
Volleyball
Our HAS boys’ squad demonstrated their skills and determination throughout the competition. Similarly, our girls’ team showcased their talent and perseverance, making a strong impression.
Softball
Our HAS softball teams faced tough competition against our Sydney counterparts. Despite the challenges, both the boys’ and girls’ squads put in a great effort, showcasing their skills and determination throughout the tournament.
The success of the 2025 Your Local Club Academy Games is made possible through the support of major sponsors, whose commitment to youth sport and regional development is instrumental. We would like to thank Clubs NSW (Your local club) who are celebrating 20 years of supporting this event, NSW Office of Sport, Tamworth Regional Council, Regional Australia Bank, The University of New England, Wests Entertainment Group, Tamworth Toyota, as well as our media partners NBN News and the Super Radio Network (2TM AM, 92.9 FM). Full results from the tournament can be found on www.academygames.com.au
