Regional Academies of Sport
Tennis Victoria, in partnership with the Victorian Institute of Sport and Sport and Recreation Victoria, supports emerging elite athletes from country Victoria through the Regional Academy of Sport network.
Tennis Victoria provides resources and works closely with the Regional Academy network across country Victoria to deliver tennis programs and a pathway that complement each athletes existing weekly programs with their private coach in their local environment.
How the Regional Academies work
Victorian players are aligned to an Academy catchment area based upon where they reside. For players residing in NSW (e.g. Albury, Moama or Barham), players will be aligned to the Academy catchment that the players’ Victorian Tennis club is within.
There are currently five Regional Academies of Sport in Victoria. They are Barwon, Bendigo, Gippsland, Southwest, and WestVic – please see below for Academy catchment areas and boundaries.
Each Academy tennis program has up to 18 athletes aged approximately from 11 to 18 years of age. All players must be a registered player with a tennis club or centre in Victoria.
Benefits of being in a Regional Academy
Academy athlete positions are offered to athletes for a full calendar year and are invitation only (either by direct invitation or through an athlete selection trial day). The Academy tennis programs are delivered by Tennis Victoria’s network of Regional Academy State coaches and provide a range of benefits including:
✔ Regular 1 day training camps (approximately 6 – 8 sessions annually)
✔ Individual muscular-skeletal screening
✔ Individual strength and conditioning program
✔ Academy uniform and resources
✔ Range of sports science presentations including nutrition and mental skills training
✔ Tournament support from Regional Academy State coaches at one selected Junior Event
✔ Annual Inter-Academy Challenge weekend held at Bendigo Regional Tennis Centre
2024 Trials
| Academy | Coach | 2025 Trial Dates & Location | Registrations | Key Contact |
| Barwon Sports Academy | Jackson Varney | Sunday November 17 4.30-6.00pm Grovedale Tennis Club |
https://tennisvic.wufoo.com/forms/2025-regional-academy-of-sport-trials-barwon/ | Ross Celano |
| Bendigo Academy of Sport | Callan McCarthy | Sunday November 17 3.00-5.00pm Bendigo Regional Tennis Centre |
https://tennisvic.wufoo.com/forms/2025-regional-academy-of-sport-trials-bendigo/ | Mark Perdon |
| Gippsland Academy of Sport | TBC | Sunday November 10 12.00-3.00pm Traralgon Tennis Association |
https://tennisvic.wufoo.com/forms/2025-regional-academy-of-sport-trials-gippsland/ | Anita Pistrin |
| WestVic Academy of Sport | Jeremy Quast | TBC | TBC | Scott Watson |
| South West Academy of Sport | Nathan Isles | TBC | TBC | Andrew Sloane |
Regional Academy of Sport Catchment Areas
View the Regional Academy of Sport catchment areas below.
VIC