The first Emerging Reds Academy for women to develop the state’s best teen talents will be launched next month in a progressive step for Queensland rugby.
Thanks to the support of Rio Tinto, the Academy is a powerful method for the Reds women’s program to take control of its own destiny by advancing the code’s up-and-coming stars.
The initial scope of the Academy is to identify and engage the top 20-25 rugby athletes, from 16 to 18-years-old, from South-East Queensland in a 10-week program.
The group will be provided an introduction and exposure to an elite training environment based at the BMS National Rugby Training Centre at Ballymore. It will include on-field and gym programs with nutrition and wellbeing back-up.
The Academy program will aid select players in a direct transition to the Reds Super Rugby Women’s squad and/or the Queensland Academy of Sport Sevens squad.
The tailored program will be run by respected head coach Mari Belessis, a former top sevens player and more recently a Reds Sevens elite squad coach. She will be supported by assistant Eddie Aholelei, the Queensland Reds Women’s assistant forwards coach.
“I am extremely excited to see the development of women’s rugby continue with this Emerging Reds Academy,” Belessis said.
“The beauty of this program is that it doesn’t focus on just sevens or XVs specifically but the transferable skills these young women need to play both forms of the game.
“We’ve seen many of our players wanting to flow between both forms of the game, particularly in this Rugby World Cup season.
“Hopefully, this gives young girls aspiring to play sevens, XVs or both an opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge of the game and continue perfecting those position-specific skills they need to excel in their roles.”
Nico Andrade, the Queensland Reds Women’s High Performance Manager, said initiating an Emerging Reds Academy is a vital step for the women’s game.
“It’s a first for Queensland to have such a pathway step that can better prepare top young players for a potential future with the Reds sevens or XVs squads,” he said.
Support for developing players at this age is of huge value with the talent emerging in Queensland. Young prop Sky-Yvette-Faimalie made her Reds debut at 17 this season while Madison Pomerenke was still at school when making her Next Gen 7s debut for Queensland late last year.
The specialist training, over two sessions per week (Monday and Wednesdays), will include work on core skill and units on the field while mobility, strength and power will be enhanced in the gym.
Opportunities for one-on-one mentoring with players from the Queensland Reds Super Rugby Women’s squad and Reds Sevens squad will also be created.
The athletes will be selected from a raft of designated events over June-July plus their rugby resumes in events to date.
These will include the Rio Tinto Talent Identification Combines, the Queensland Country Championships in Townsville (June 28-July 1), two City v Country matches (July 6-7) and the Australian Schools & Junior Rugby Union Championships on the Sunshine Coast (July 8-13).
Performances at the Queensland Schools State Championships in Toowoomba (June 6-8) and the 2024 Next Gen 7s Series and Battle of the Border Cup have already been noted.
Identified athletes will be directly contacted if selected.
