August 2026 Newsletter:
Introduction
Welcome to this month’s SRA newsletter. This edition is a bittersweet one as we say farewell to our Irish interns, Cian and Ro, who really left their imprint on the SRA community, they will be missed by everyone. Thank you Cian & Ro for everything you have done this last 6 months.
In warming news, we are really excited to welcome past SRA Intern Holly as she joins the SRA Team as our newly appointed Nutritionist and Performance Coach. We also share some exciting membership updates and exclusive offers for the SRA community, we are also in the process of developing our own Web App which has some very exciting features that will take training at SRA to a new level.
Lastly, we celebrate the extension of our partnership with Diamond Valley Basketball Association for another 12 months, an incredible Commonwealth Games gold medal, and another SRA athlete heads off to college. There’s plenty more happening across SRA, read on for all the latest updates!
Welcome to the Family:
| New and Returning Athletes |
|---|
|
Abe Nyok Alanna Calafiore Baxter Newman Charlotte Ogier Daniel Borbajo Nyiel Tong Poppy Kelly |
SRA News
Farewell To Our Irish Interns
After six months at SRA, it’s time to say farewell to Cian and Ro as they head home to Ireland. They have both been a massive help during their time with us, bringing plenty of energy, enthusiasm and positivity to SRA each day. They will be deeply missed by our staff and members, and we wish them both every success in their Sport Science careers – thank you for everything, Cian and Ro!
SRA Memberships
As part of our latest service updates, Elite and Rehab members will now receive one complimentary allied health appointment per quarter, plus 20% off all SRA Allied Health services. All other weekly members will receive a 10% discount on any SRA Allied Health services for the duration of their active membership.
SRA Nutrition Services
SRA is excited to introduce our new nutritional service, available to all SRA athletes, members and the wider public. Our nutritionist, Holly, can help with fueling for training and competition, improving energy and recovery, hydration, building healthier eating habits, body-composition goals and developing practical nutrition strategies or individualised meal plans to support your lifestyle and performance.
Book an appointment with Holly here
SRA Sports Psychology Study
SRA are looking for 30 participants between the ages of 13 and 21 to participate in an upcoming survey designed to measure our communities mental skills, wellbeing, mindset and motivation strategies.
All participants will go in the draw to win a Complimentary session with any of our allied health practitioners.
Bulleen Workshops
Earlier this month, SRA staff delivered a series of athlete development workshops for Bulleen Boomers junior athletes. The workshops provided practical education on long-term athlete development, speed training and injury prevention, giving athletes valuable strategies to improve their performance and stay healthy on the court in the lead up to finals. Good luck everyone!
Term 3 Junior ADP
Our Term 3 Junior ADP kicked off earlier this month, welcoming plenty of new and excited faces! Congratulations to Ryder Kennedy, Thomas Kennedy, Ethan Aulia, Fraya and Luana Dunn, and Will Lea Smith, who have all graduated into our High Performance Program. A few spots are still available in this term’s Junior ADP. Contact Jacob at info@srasportstherapy.com.au to register.
DVBA x SRA Partnership Extension
Lastly, we’re really excited to announce the extension of our partnership with Diamond Valley Basketball Association, who have secured SRA’s services for another 12 months. SRA will continue delivering educational workshops for parents, athletes and coaches, conducting a club-wide Athlete Performance Combine, and delivering the Youth League pre-season strength and conditioning programs for both the men’s and women’s teams. Thank you DVBA for continuing to trust and support the SRA Team.
Total Sessions Leaderboard:
Male:
| Athlete Name | Total Sessions |
|---|---|
| Tommy Lea-Smith | 20 |
| Isaiah Stratford | 17 |
| Oliver Coghlan | 16 |
Female:
| Athlete Name | Total Sessions |
|---|---|
| Jess Meldrum | 17 |
| Zoe Rakogiannis | 15 |
| Haliegh Reinoehl | 14 |
SRA Medical
SRA Medical has continued to grow this month, with our experienced medical team delivering expert healthcare services lead by Osteopath Emily Stones, Physiotherapist Rushi Patel, Provisional Sports Psychologist Kyle Didone, and Sports Nutritionist Holly Cichowski. Their expertise and commitment to patient care has helped the health and wellbeing of our athletes, offering a comprehensive approach to health, recovery, and performance.
GYG Athlete of The Month:
| Athlete Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Lenny Akinkugbe |
Since joining SRA, Lenny has consistently demonstrated a high level of commitment and dedication to his training.
Balancing domestic and representative basketball commitments alongside school, Lenny has remained disciplined and consistent within the gym. His strong work ethic and willingness to continually challenge himself in the gym have been key factors in his development. We’re incredibly excited to see how far Lenny can go and look forward to supporting his continued growth both on and off the court. |
| Jasmine Cooper |
Jas is a friendly face around SRA who always makes the effort to say hello to everyone. Through her consistent hard work, she has progressed from our Junior ADP into the High Performance Program. Jas always responds positively to feedback and is always looking for ways to improve, making her a great example of an athlete who strives to be better every single day.
Jas is also an athlete in our Edinburgh College Basketball Academy Program and is someone who always brings plenty of energy and positivity to our sessions. |
A big thank you to Guzman y Gomez (GYG) – the Australian and internationally renowned Mexican cuisine restaurant for proudly endorsing our “GYG Athlete of the Month” award.
Each month, we recognise two athletes who best embody SRA’s core values of Belief, Discipline, and Ownership across the SRA community.
To learn more, visit the following link
SRA Google Review
If you are enjoying your experience with SRA Sports Therapy, we’d love to hear about it! Leaving a quick Google review helps others find our services and supports our team in continuing to deliver a high-quality service for our athletes. Your feedback means a lot to us and only takes a minute.
Session Milestones:
| 400 Session Club | 600 Session Club |
|---|---|
| Paige Burrows | Kate Moorhen |
Athlete News:
| Event | Sporting News |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth Games Gold | A massive congratulations to SRA Athlete Emma Clarke who recently represented Australia in 3 x 3 basketball at the Commonwealth Games and brought home the gold medal! |
| College Basketball Offer |
Another massive achievement with SRA Athlete Tommy Lea-Smith committing to play basketball at Mount Aloysius College in Pennsylvania, USA.
Tommy has been training incredibly hard with us over the past 9 months, working towards achieving an opportunity like this to take his development to the next level. We wish Tommy all the best as he starts this exciting new chapter. |
| Southside Flyers Internship | A huge shoutout to SRA’s very own Ben Galea for recently securing a strength and conditioning internship with the Southside Flyers for their upcoming season. Well done Ben, wishing you the best of luck with this exciting opportunity. |
| National Championships Gold | Congratulations to SRA Athlete Jada Hill who competed at the Under 16 National Championships for Vic Country in early July. Jada capped off an exceptional performance across the tournament with a gold medal which is an incredible achievement. |
| Defensive Player of the Tournament | A huge congratulations to former SRA athlete Violet Santamaria, who was recently named Defensive Player of the Tournament at the Under 16 National Championships. A well-deserved recognition for a great defensive performance. |
Each month we love sharing experiences and accomplishments of all of our athlete’s journeys.
If you have any news worth sharing as part of our newsletter we would love to hear from you!
Athlete News and Accomplishments
Blogs:
| Blog | Summary |
|---|---|
| Nutrition For Athletes – Off Season Gains | To celebrate bringing Holly, our in house Nutritionist onto the SRA Team, we are revisiting a timely blog which explores the top nutritional secrets to having a great off season in the kitchen. |
Athlete Interviews:
| Athlete Name | Overview |
|---|---|
| Corey Jeffs |
Another one from the archives, this athlete interview with Corey Jeffs revisits our athlete interview with SRA Athlete Corey Jeffs who talks about his experiences playing college basketball, running his own business and rehabilitating an ACL injury.
Corey provides some really insightful insight into semi professional sport and offers some great advice around what it takes to play college basketball or sport. |
Directors Summary
As I reflect on the month of July, I’m reminded that building a high-performance environment is about much more than the sessions we deliver each day. It’s about the people who contribute to our culture, the relationships we continue to build, and the opportunities we create for every athlete who walks through our door.
This month highlighted all three. While saying goodbye to Cian and Ro was difficult, it was also a reminder of the incredible people who help shape the SRA community. At the same time, welcoming Holly into her new role as Sports Nutritionist and Performance Coach marks another exciting step in our commitment to providing athletes with world-class support across every aspect of performance.
Combined with our updated membership benefits and continued growth of SRA Medical, we’re continuing to build an environment that supports athletes well beyond strength and conditioning.
I’m also incredibly proud of the success our athletes continue to achieve. Whether it’s representing Australia on the international stage, earning college opportunities, winning national championships, reaching significant training milestones, or simply showing up consistently each week with the right attitude, every achievement is the result of countless small decisions made over time. Those moments deserve to be celebrated because they reflect the values we strive to develop every day.
Finally, I’d like to thank every athlete, parent, coach and staff member who contributes to making SRA such a special community. Your trust, commitment and willingness to improve are what allow us to continue growing and creating new opportunities every day..
As always, keep believing in your potential, stay disciplined and take ownership of your journey.
Shaun Atkins
Director – SRA Sports Therapy
“Dreams > Actions > Results”
The SRA Team