First Nations Youth High-Performance Program – Surfers Announced

Surfing Australia is excited to announce 16 surfers have been selected for the inaugural First Nations Youth High Performance Program.

The 12-month program runs across Australia from January 1st to December 2023 and includes three camps, the first to be held in February 2023.

Each surfer will have an individual high-performance plan including strength and conditioning, sports psychology, school/education, life skills, connection to culture and community, equipment development, trick acquisition, athlete wellbeing, and other services as required.

The majority of services will be provided free of charge.

This program will allow surfers to not only strengthen their surfing but also their connection with culture. The cultural elements of the program will be guided and decided by the First Nations Youth HP Program Guidance committee made up of a group of well-respected Indigenous surfers.

The high-performance surfing part of the program will be led by Surfing Australia Talent Pathways Manager, Clancy Dawson and Surfing Victoria’s Indigenous Aquatics Manager and Performance Coach Jordie Campbell. Also supporting is Talent Pathways Coach and former World Champion, Chelsea Hedges.

The selection process was competitive and the committee said they were impressed with all applications, adding that the future of Indigenous surfing is very bright.

Surfing Australia looks forward to working with this first cohort and their families to make sure the program is culturally safe and successful by valuing their voices.

The camp has been funded by a donation from Norm Innis and his foundation as well as support from Billabong.

SELECTED PARTICIPANTS:

Males

· Kyroan O’Donnell (Qld)
· Landen Smales (Qld)
· Tatum Pratten-Eggins (NSW)
· Hunter Winkler (NSW)
· Braith Wilson (NSW)
· Zane Silvester (Qld)
· Joe Murray (NSW)
· Kaiden Smales (Qld)
· Taj Simon (Qld)

Females

· Maggie Shaw (WA)
· Indy Slattery (Qld)
· Kauri Heuston-Connor (Qld)
· Ocea Curtis (NSW)
· Bel Gee (Vic)
· Bodhi Simon (NSW)
· Meg Day (SA)