Wagga to host Academy Games for the next three years

The event, contested by regional sports academies across New South Wales including the Wagga-based Southern Sports Academy (SSA), attracts 1300 athletes and 4000 people, and is projected to inject around $1.2 million into the Newcastle economy in its final instalment there this weekend.

The event will be held over three days during the April school holidays each year.

A multi-million redevelopment is in the early planning stages at Bolton Park, where the majority of the nine Academy Games sports will be played.

Although not as big in stature as touch football's Junior State Cup, which council hopes to keep in the city after their deal with NSW Touch Football expired this year.

SSA chief executive Mark Calverley said they hope to expand the number of sports represented in the games, which currently features netball, hockey, rugby union, Australian Rules, basketball, softball, tennis, triathlon and golf.

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"I think there's nine sports and we'll have the ability to bring in demonstration sports as well," Calverley said.

"We'll look to increase those sports, and therefore the number of athletes and people coming into town.

"This year there's going to be 1300 athletes competing at the Games, and that number will potentially grow over the three years Wagga will host.

"It's a wise investment for Wagga to bring that money to town, the overnight stays and especially over the last 12 months with the effect COVID has had on local businesses.

"Ideally we would have liked to have had the new PCYC facility up and going for next year, which won't be the case, but we've got some irons in the fire for that first year. '

"In years two and three it would be great to host a state-wide event in a new facility within the Bolton Park precinct."

SSA's hockey program, which was introduced last year, will compete at the Games for the first time this weekend, while basketball has also been re-introduced after a hiatus.

"We've got very strong (basketball) numbers across boys and girls, and we've got a new netball program that will compete for the first time," he said.

"Our netballers always get some good results, our golfers tend to do pretty well. But after last year was cancelled the kids haven't been able to get together and test themselves out against the best in the state, so they're looking forward to that."

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