The UniSC Youth Athlete Academy helps talented young athletes reach their high performance goals while building strong foundations in strength, conditioning and overall wellbeing.

Run from our elite high-performance facility — complete with a fully equipped Strength and Conditioning gym, recovery pool and contrast plunge pools — the program focuses on long-term development and health.

Sessions are designed by leading performance expert Dr Mark McKean and delivered by our accredited Strength and Conditioning coaches, all qualified through the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association and holding valid Blue Cards.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for athletes who meet the program’s selection criteria. If an applicant meets or exceeds all the requirements, they’ll be eligible for a scholarship that covers training fees for at least two terms.

To keep the scholarship beyond two terms, participants must continue to meet performance standards and stay actively engaged in the program.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be fully committed to the program, with support from parents/guardians and coaches

• Attend training sessions regularly (around competition schedules)

• Share relevant coaching, competition, and medical information to help tailor their S&C program

• Represent and support UniSC where possible in school, sport, and competitions

Scholarships are reviewed twice a year (Terms 1 and 3). If a participant isn’t regularly attending or fully engaged, their place may be offered to someone else due to limited spots.

Program fees

For those not on a scholarship, the program fee is $150 per term, payable in Week 1 and due by the end of Week 2 each term.

Session times

New participants

All new members of the UniSC Youth Athlete Academy will train on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 6:30-7:45am. These sessions are specifically designed to provide focused coaching support for new athletes.
If your current training or school schedule doesn’t allow you to attend these morning sessions, please consider whether this program is the right fit for you at this time.

Returning participants

Athletes who have completed at least one full term and demonstrated strong skills and independent training habits may be invited to attend afternoon sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 4-6pm.

Friday afternoons are open to all participants as an optional recovery session, with access to the 25m pool and hot/cold contrast pools.

Parents, guardians and coaches are welcome to attend morning sessions and are encouraged to chat with the strength and conditioning coach during or after the session.

Program development

New participants in the morning sessions will follow a broad athletic development program focused on building strong foundations in strength and conditioning, movement skills, and overall athletic competency.

Currently, the program offers two pathways:

• Running-based athletes

• Upper-body-dominant sports athletes

As athletes progress, continuing participants (whether in morning or afternoon sessions) receive more individualised programming. We aim to align each athlete’s Strength and Conditioning training with their sport-specific needs, competition calendar, and overall development goals.

Eligibility

Athletes in Year 10, 11 and 12 who are competing at a national level, selected through recognised state and national sport organisation pathways in a sport recognised by Sport Australia.

Para athletes

All students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who have a disability and are playing sport.

Prospective student-athletes must be recommended by their school or sporting club. To be eligible for the program, athletes must be at least 15 years old.

The HPS Youth Academy offers strength and conditioning programming and support. It aims to support talented athletes as they transition from age-group competitors to high-performance environments.

How to apply

Interested in joining the UniSC Youth Athlete Academy? Email Dr Mark McKean at [email protected] to request an application form.

When you receive the form:

• Save it to your device using your full name as the file name

• Type directly into the form

• Once complete, save it and email it back to us

Please note: Incomplete applications or emails without a completed form won’t be considered.

Application deadline

Applications usually close two weeks before the start of each school term. Successful applicants will be notified before the term begins.

Need help with the form or want to know more about the program? Reach out to Dr McKean by email to arrange a phone or in-person chat.

More information

Associate Professor Mark McKean
Leader, Physical Performance in High Performance Sport
Email: [email protected]