Tara Murray
For Damien Bozinovski and Charlotte Morey, Maribyrnong Sports Academy was where they wanted to do their schooling.
Like many others they applied to the academy, as they wanted to focus not only on their education, but their schooling dreams.
Damien, who is part of Melbourne Victory’s youth set up, is following in the footsteps of his brothers.
“Both my brothers went here,” he said during one of his gym sessions. “They were both older than me and got into the sports academy and I thought I may as well come here and have a go and I got in.
“It’s a really good program that is aimed to help you individually, but there’s a team environment as well.
“It includes all the strength training, plyometrics training and even outside technical training.
“It’s a good school as well.”
Charlotte is a budding netballer who is part of the Victorian state under-17 team for the upcoming national championships.
Ever since hearing about the academy as a junior, the Point Cook resident decided this was where she wanted to study.
“The old coach here at the school was my under-11s rep coach, she kind of told us about it and then I trialled,” she said.
“I was pretty excited when I found out about it. It was the only school I was looking at.”
Charlotte said while she had benefited on the court from the academy, it was a lot of the other stuff which had been most important.
“I’ve definitely benefited from the gym as well, the injury prevention and things like that. With my sport, knees and ankles are pretty common to injure so it has helped me with that.
“It’s really cool to get a different coach and a different perspective of how you play and you get to link up with other people.”
Both admit at times it can be pretty full on with training, study and travelling to the school, but it’s worth it in the long run.
Charlotte said the car is often her desk as she goes from one commitment to the next.
While both are focused on their home work, it’s clear that sport is where their interests lay.
“At the moment I’m playing for the Geelong Cougars in the VNL [Victorian Netball League], I’m in the 17 and under state team and I play locally at South Barwon,” Charlotte said.
“I’d love to play for the Melbourne Vixens, but right now focused on performing well at nationals, hopefully in the VNL and getting up a couple of age groups.
For Damien, who lives in Taylors Lakes, “right now by the end of the year the 23s, the senior team and I want to keep pushing with the help of the program.”
