October 2026 Newsletter:
Introduction
The season might be winding down, but there’s plenty happening at SRA! For many of our athletes, the off-season is a chance to recharge, set fresh goals and get stuck into the gym work that helps make next season their best yet.
We’ve got an exciting month ahead, with Term 4 Junior ADP, the return of our Speed Sessions, FREE sports psychology support through our new ISN partnership, and Performance Combine Days with Diamond Valley Basketball and Northern Pride Netball.
We are also working hard behind the scenes with the team from Bridge Talent Management to lock away a 2027 USA Basketball Tour with the Edinburgh College Basketball Academy, an experience that will prove to be industry changing.
There’s also plenty to celebrate, from championship wins and representative opportunities to training milestones and athletes putting in the work each week.
Welcome to the Family:
| New and Returning Athletes |
|---|
|
Harry De Koning Taj Heap Brad Watson Oliver Ireland Hailey Leidel Ben Hall Samuel D’urbano |
SRA News
Term 4 Junior ADP
Term 4 of our Junior Athlete Development Program kicks off on Monday, 5 October!
With many sporting seasons finishing and upcoming trials on the horizon, this term is a great opportunity for junior athletes to build strength, speed, power and confidence ahead of their next season.
Led by Senior Strength Coach Harry Stones, the program will focus on movement quality, coordination and athletic development. Week 1 will include speed, agility and jump testing, helping athletes track their progress and identify areas to work on throughout the term.
There are still a small number of spots available, if you would like to register you can do so via the link below:
Register Here for Term 4 Junior ADP
SRA Speed Sessions
Our SRA Speed Sessions are back for Term 4, running on Saturdays from 10 October to 21 November.
Held at the Mount Lilydale Mercy College athletics track, these sessions give athletes the opportunity to develop their speed and running technique, with VALD speed gate testing to help measure performance and track progress.
These sessions are a great way to develop short burst and top speed and acceleration over the off season. If you’re interested in signing up, check out the link below.
Sports Psych Partnership
We are excited to announce a new partnership between SRA and ISN Sports Psychology.
This exclusive partnership will provide ALL SRA members with FREE access and support to a dedicated Provisional Sports Psychology Team.
To celebrate we created a PDF to educate our athletes and families on what a Sports Psychologist does and how they might be able to help improve your game.
Upcoming Performance Combine Days
We’re incredibly excited to build on our extended partnership with Diamond Valley Basketball Association and Northern Pride Netball Club by running our Performance Combine Days throughout October! We’ll be taking athletes through speed, agility, strength and jump testing, giving athletes and coaches valuable insight into their physical performance and key areas for development.
Total Sessions Leaderboard:
Male:
| Athlete Name | Total Sessions |
|---|---|
| Alier Tong | 17 |
| Aussie Smith | 15 |
| Oliver Coghlan | 14 |
Female:
| Athlete Name | Total Sessions |
|---|---|
| Jess Meldrum | 17 |
| Haliegh Reinoehl | 14 |
| Scarlett Wyld | 12 |
SRA Medical
SRA Medical continues to grow, with Physiotherapist Rushi Patel, Osteopath Emily Stones, Provisional Sports Psychologist Josh Nanninga and Nutritionist Holly Cichowski supporting our athletes and the wider community across health, recovery and performance.
With the off-season underway, it’s also a good opportunity to check in on any lingering niggles or rehabilitation goals. Book an appointment with one of our allied health professionals below.
GYG Athlete of The Month:
| Athlete Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Brody Johnson |
Brody is a talented multi-sport athlete who comes into the gym with a clear focus on getting 1% better every session. His drive to improve and willingness to put in the work make him a deserving recipient of this month’s award.
Over the past few months, Brody has taken his training to another level, and that commitment is paying off with some fantastic improvements in his strength and power. It’s been great to see his consistent effort translate into progress, and we’re excited to see him build on this momentum. Well done Brody! |
| Scarlett Wyld |
JScarlett has shown outstanding consistency in the gym over the past couple of months, putting in the work to give herself the best possible preparation for her upcoming basketball tryouts.
Her commitment highlights the importance of showing up regularly and working towards a goal. By making her training a priority, Scarlett is building a strong foundation to support her performance on the court and give herself every opportunity when tryouts arrive. Congratulations, Scarlett! |
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:
| 100 Session Club | 300 Session Club | 500 Session Club | 600 Session Club |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Miranda Gartner Lily Exton |
Josh Hawkins | Oliver Coghlan | Jess Meldrum |
Athlete News:
| Event | Sporting News |
|---|---|
| League and Club Best and Fairest | A massive congratulations to Aussie Smith on claiming both the Outer East Football Netball League Division 1 Senior Men’s Best and Fairest and Yarra Glen’s club Best and Fairest! Two outstanding honours recognising a fantastic season. Well done Aussie – a couple more awards for the collection! |
| Big V Championship Success | Congratulations to Mia Kellock on winning the Big V Championship with McKinnon last month! Mia played an important role in the team’s success, making this a well-deserved reward for her hard work throughout the season. It’s fantastic to see you finish the season on such a high, Mia! |
| Representative Trials | A huge shoutout to all our SRA athletes who earned the opportunity to participate in EFNL Interleague and basketball state team trials over the school holidays! It’s exciting to see you challenge yourselves alongside other talented athletes and pursue the next step in your sporting journeys. |
| Basketball Australia Camp | Congratulations to Jada Hill, who travelled to the Australian Institute of Sport last week to train with Basketball Australia! This is an exciting opportunity to develop her game in an elite environment and a fantastic recognition of her talent and hard work. |
| Montrose FC | It was a bittersweet ending to the Montrose FC Season for 2026 after winning a nail biting elimination final followed by a close over time loss to Park Orchards in the semi final. Many of the Montrose boys are already back in the gym, hungrier than ever to attack season 2027. |
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 |
|---|---|
| The Three R’s of Off Season | With the off-season just beginning for many of our athletes, we’re revisiting our blog, The Three R’s of Off Season. It explores how to rest and reset, reflect on your season and set new goals, then reload your training gradually to rebuild for the year ahead. From avoiding common training mistakes to making time for skills, nutrition and recovery, this blog offers practical advice to help you make the most of your off-season. |
Athlete Interviews:
| Athlete Name | Overview |
|---|---|
| Jonathan Lawton | This month, we’re revisiting our athlete interview with Jonathan Lawton, who shares his journey from college basketball in the USA to playing professionally in Ireland, Iceland and Australia. Jonathan opens up about overcoming setbacks, the sacrifices of playing overseas and learning to compete with confidence. He also reflects on how SRA supported his recovery from a knee injury and helped him grow both on and off the court. |
Directors Summary
October is always an exciting time at SRA. As competitive seasons wrap up, the off-season gives athletes a chance to reset, set new goals and get back to work for what comes next.
It’s been great to see so many athletes already attacking their off-season, while we continue building new opportunities with our valued partners across basketball, netball, football and schools.
If you haven’t already, I’d also encourage you to take advantage of our partnership with ISN Sports Psychology. Athletes should train their minds like they train their bodies, and this is often one of the most overlooked areas of high performance.
Lastly, this time of year has always been one of my favourites. For a brief moment, it feels like time slows down and gives us a chance to reflect, reset and decide what comes next.
Enjoy that moment, because before long another 12 months of training, competing and high-performance habits begins.
Make sure you’re ready for it.
Shaun Atkins
Director – SRA Sports Therapy
“Dreams > Actions > Results”
The SRA Team