The event gets underway tonight with WRAS Squad Staff Orientation at the Charles Sturt University Gymnasium.

This is an opportunity for all coaches, managers and staff of Academy programs to get to know one another and plan for the year ahead.

This will be followed tomorrow by Orientation for all athletes and parents to induct them into the Academy and provide all necessary information about WRAS.

Other activities during the day include Team Building, Physical testing (conducted by the CSU, School of Human Movement Studies Testing and Sport Science team), Functional Movement Screening (completed by WRAS Strength and Conditioning Interns) and a lecture on Sports Inclusiveness by Chelsea Litchfield from the CSU School of Human Movement Studies.

On Saturday night, the Academy will host 2008/09 graduating athletes and their families for the WRAS ‘Academy Awards’ presentation evening.

The glitz and glamour dinner will recognise the athlete’s achievements, hard working members of squad staff and other valuable volunteers.

Also during the evening, Hockeyroo Rebecca Sanders will speak about her experiences at the elite level of sport and make the presentations to WRAS Hall of Fame inductees Tamsin Lee, Rachel Miller and Jade Warrender.

Local radio personality Charles Croucher is MC for the evening.

This is a huge weekend for the Academy, wrapping up on Sunday with squad training sessions for Basketball, Lawn Bowls and Netball.