SA & NSWIS partnership

Skate Australia and the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) have announced a partnership geared toward developing and assisting identified Skate Australia high performance NSW athletes to achieve excellence at the highest international level.

The new program supports NSW based skateboarding athletes who represent Australia and perform at World Skate and Olympic international events including the World Skateboarding Tour, World Championships, the 2026 Youth Olympics and LA 2028.

With Paris 2024 Olympians, Ruby Trew, Kieren Woolley and Liv Lovelace already utilising the services, the program will leverage NSWIS high performance expertise as part of a newly developed SA nationally coordinated high performance sport network.

Skate Australia Acting Chief Executive Officer Alison Campbell said the partnership was a significant step forward in supporting skaters in a more professional and cohesive manner than has been done before in the State.

The formal announcement of the partnership also sees NSWIS commence recruitment for an NSWIS Skateboarding Coach.

“The NSWIS Skateboarding Coach will play a key role in facilitating Skate Australia and NSWIS learning and developing what a ‘best practice skateboarding program’ can look like in NSW in preparation for the Brisbane 2032 cycle.”

“This coaching position will coach and mentor athletes directly, help link skaters and their coaches to NSWIS support and help to oversee skateboarding performance pathways and nationally” Campbell said.

Anna Longman, NSWIS Senior High-Performance Manager said the program was an exciting step in skateboarding’s LA 2028 preparations.

“The purpose of an NSWIS Skateboarding Scholarship is to provide athletes with coaching and performance support services to enable them to develop and progress through the Skate Australia (SA) High Performance Pathway towards medal winning performances at benchmark events.”Skateboarding has many incredible young athletes coming through the ranks and the opportunity to support these athletes and their families as they navigate the high-performance landscape from pathways athletes to elite is exciting and full of possibility,” she said.

Paris 2024 Olympic skateboarder Ruby Trew said the partnership had been a game changer for her.

“NSWIS has been amazing — they’ve made me feel like part of a family. Being able to train alongside other world-class athletes has really opened my eyes to what’s possible and helped me understand how to better support myself as an athlete.

The facility they’ve created is incredible — it’s a space where both able-bodied athletes and Paralympians can train together, pushing each other and working toward the same goals. It’s such a special environment to be part of.”

“Olympic skateboarding is still new to NSWIS, but they’ve really embraced it. Just like we skateboarders are learning how to become better athletes, NSWIS has been committed to understanding skateboarding and helping us get stronger, both physically and mentally,” she said.

Fellow Olympian and Top 30 ranked Street skater, Liv Lovelace said 'I’m super excited that NSWIS is going to have a skate specific program this cycle. It creates an opportunity for us all to push ourselves and create a cool environment for everyone to grow and become the best version of ourselves as skateboarders'