Skate Australia partners with Regional Academies of Sport

Skate Australia has formalised a three-year partnership with Regional Academies of Sport (RAS) to strengthen skateboarding development opportunities for regional athletes and create a more connected pathway to high-performance sport.

The partnership will support the continued development and expansion of the RAS Skate Program, providing talented young skateboarders across regional New South Wales with access to quality coaching, structured training, athlete education and performance support.

Through the agreement, RAS and Skate Australia will work collaboratively to establish a consistent statewide regional skate development program, aligned with Skate Australia's national performance pathway and its Athlete Development Framework (ADF).

The partnership aims to identify and develop emerging talent, increase opportunities for regional athletes to progress into national performance programs, and support the growth of coaching expertise across regional communities.

RAS Group Chief Operating Officer Mark Calverley said the partnership represented an important step forward in creating more opportunities for regional athletes to pursue their sporting ambitions.

"Regional athletes should have access to the same quality development opportunities and support as their metropolitan counterparts, regardless of where they live.

"This partnership strengthens the connection between our regional programs and the national performance pathway, creating clearer opportunities for talented young skateboarders to develop their skills, access quality coaching and progress within the sport.

"We're looking forward to working alongside Skate Australia to grow the program, support our coaches and reach more regional communities over the coming years."

Under the agreement, participating Regional Academies will be responsible for the operational delivery of their local skate programs, including athlete management, coaching, training and sport science and personal development education.

Skate Australia will provide technical expertise, curriculum and program development support, coach mentoring, talent identification assistance and opportunities for athletes and coaches to connect with the broader national pathway.

Skate Australia General Manager, High Performance Daniel Mangano said the partnership reflected an important principle for the sport: that opportunities to progress should remain accessible, regardless of where a young skateboarder lives.

“The roots of skateboarding are incredibly simple. Give a young person a skateboard and somewhere to skate, and their journey can begin.

“As our sport continues to grow, we want to make sure we don’t lose that. Where someone lives shouldn’t determine the opportunities available to them or how far they can progress.

“This partnership is about bringing quality development opportunities closer to regional communities, supporting the coaches and environments around those athletes, and creating stronger connections into the broader Skate Australia pathway.

"In NSW, that also helps build a stronger development base underneath the NSWIS skateboarding program, ensuring more young athletes have the opportunity to develop towards that level if that’s where their skating takes them.

“Ultimately, we want young skateboarders to be able to start at their local skatepark and see a genuine pathway to wherever they want to take their skating.”

The partnership will also strengthen the connection between the RAS Skate Program and the annual RAS Your Local Club Regional Academy Games, with Skate Australia confirmed as a partner sporting body for the event.

The Academy Games will provide participating athletes with an important competition and showcase opportunity, while allowing them to experience a multi-sport environment alongside emerging athletes from across the RAS network.

Skate Australia will also support the identification and recruitment of coaches in priority regions, helping RAS expand the program into additional academy regions throughout the three-year agreement.

The partnership will initially focus on athletes aged 8-14, with individual Regional Academies able to offer up to 12 athlete positions annually.

With a shared commitment to athlete development and regional participation, RAS and Skate Australia will continue to work together to strengthen the foundations of skateboarding and create more opportunities for the next generation of regional talent.