January 2026 Newsletter:
Introduction
As we kick off a new year with the SRA community, our January Newsletter is packed with exciting updates, program announcements, and athlete highlights from across the SRA community. We proudly celebrate our 2026 SRA Award Winners, welcome our new Irish interns, and recognise outstanding athlete achievements to set the tone for a successful 2026. Inside, you’ll find key information on upcoming Term 1 programs including Junior ADP, Diamond Valley ADP, and our new 8-week pathway structure. We also spotlight recent blogs, athlete interviews, and partner initiatives as we build momentum into a big year ahead at SRA.
Welcome To The Family:
| New & Returning Athletes |
|---|
| Annaliese Driscoll Gemma Potter Harrison Barnes James Koroneos |
SRA News
SRA Award Winners
The 2026 SRA Awards highlight the individuals who made a lasting impact on the SRA community through their commitment, attitude, and daily actions. These awards recognise the people who consistently set high standards, embody SRA’s core values, drive the training environment, and play a key role in shaping the culture of SRA. To view the full list of 2026 award winners, follow the link below.
View Our 2026 Award Winners Here
Junior Athlete Development Program
Term 1 of our 2026 Junior Athlete Development Program is almost here and marks the most advanced version of Junior ADP to date. Built around our Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) framework, the program now offers a clear, tiered pathway that matches athletes to their stage of development while preparing them for long-term success and our High Performance Program.
DV Junior ADP
Term 1 of the DV Athlete Development Program is set to begin on Monday 9 February, delivered at Diamond Valley Basketball Association in a structured, supportive training environment. Across the term, athletes will focus on building key physical foundations including strength, speed, movement quality, and athletic confidence to support on-court performance. Sessions run in small groups to ensure high coaching quality and a strong long-term development focus.
Irish Interns
Cian and Roisin, our new Irish interns, have joined the SRA family in January and will be with us through to August while completing their Sport and Exercise Science studies with the University of Limerick. They bring a strong foundation of knowledge and a great attitude to the team. You’ll see them around the gym building relationships with our athletes, assisting with performance screenings, supporting administrative tasks, and contributing to the management of our social media platforms. To find out more visit the link below.
Learn More About Roisin and Cian Here
SRA Community Track Sessions
SRA Community Track Sessions, our most hyped community event, are officially back for 2026! We’re starting the year with a 6-week speed block this Saturday 17th January, 10:00am at Croydon Athletics Track. These sessions focus on speed mechanics, acceleration, and max velocity technique, helping athletes move more efficiently and become faster. Sessions are free for current SRA members and $10 for non-members. Athletes must be 15 years or older to attend. For those under 15, please find attached an Expression of Interest form below.
SRA “Deuce Brand” Quiz
The SRA Quiz is proudly endorsed by Deuce Brand Australia, the premium performance and lifestyle brand known for their commitment to high quality, functional apparel across the sporting community worldwide.
Each month, we randomly select 1 person who answers all the quiz questions correctly to win a pair of Deuce Brand shorts. This month, we’re also spotlighting the launch of Deuce Brand Kids – authentic and ideal clothing for young athletes.
Deuce Brand has also generously offered a 40% discount code exclusive to the SRA community. To redeem use SRA40 at checkout via Deuce Brand Australia.
Congratulations to last month’s winner Caleb Kimpton.
Total Sessions Leaderboard:
Male:
| Athlete Name | Total Sessions |
|---|---|
| Josh Hawkins | 23 |
| Andrew Robinson | 21 |
| Marc De Iulio | 19 |
Female:
| Athlete Name | Total Sessions |
|---|---|
| Charlie Seivers | 23 |
| Zoe Rakogiannis | 19 |
| Jess Meldrum | 17 |
GYG Athlete of The Month:
| Athlete Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bailey White | Bailey has been an exceptionally consistent athlete at SRA over the past few months, completing his off season strength and conditioning program with us while also managing his return to footy pre-season. Bailey has demonstrated outstanding dedication to his training, and demonstrated outstanding leadership by consistently setting the standard for his teammates at Montrose Football Club and the wider SRA community. |
| Lily Exton | Lily has been training at SRA for the last three months as part of our NBL1 affiliation with Kilsyth NBL1 Women. With very few days off during this period, Lily has produced impressive results both on the track and in the gym. She consistently brings high energy to every session and has been a positive influence around our community. Congratulations to both GYG winners for December. |
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 both in and out of the gym. The winners can collect their GYG Gift Voucher from the gym when they’re next in.
To learn more visit the following link
Session Milestones:
| 100 Session Club |
|---|
| Daniel Frith |
Athlete News:
| Event | Sporting News |
|---|---|
| East Coast Challenge | Huge shoutout to SRA athlete Dakota Vincent for being selected to represent Victoria at the 2026 East Coast Challenge held in Penrith from the 6th-9th of January. This event showcases Victoria’s top Under 16 athletes and plays a key role in Basketball Victoria’s Performance Pathways program. |
| Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup | Congratulations to SRA athlete Jada Hill who will be representing Victoria in the upcoming Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup held in Albury next week, featuring the state’s best Under 16 country athletes. This is a massive achievement and we wish Jada the best of luck. |
| College Basketball Opportunities | A massive shoutout to SRA athlete Brody Lange, who is currently back home in the United States exploring college basketball opportunities. This is an exciting step in Brody’s basketball journey, and we wish him the very best as he navigates this process. |
| Andrew Robinson | Big props to SRA’s very own Drewy on his rise to the big screen! Drewy has been cast as an extra in an upcoming Hollywood film, Empire City – an exciting opportunity and a great story from within the SRA community. Keep an eye out for him when the film hits cinemas in the near future. |
| Australia Day Tournament | Best of luck to all SRA athletes competing at the upcoming Basketball Victoria Australia Day Tournament. The work and commitment you’ve put in over the past few months hasn’t gone unnoticed, and this tournament is a great opportunity to put that preparation into action. |
Blogs:
| Blog | Summary |
|---|---|
| Nunawading Spectres Under 12 Girls Athlete Development Program | RA recently had the pleasure of delivering a 6-week Athlete Development Program with the Nunawading Spectres Under 12 Girls in the lead-up to Christmas. Read more about the program here. |
Athlete Interviews:
| Athlete Name | Overview |
|---|---|
| Abbey Ellis | With the recent announcement of our partnership with Diamond Valley’s Youth League Men’s and Women’s teams, now is the perfect time to revisit our athlete interview with Diamond Valley’s very own NBL1 athlete Abbey Ellis. Abbey is deep into the current WNBL with the Townsville Fire, making this a great opportunity to reflect on her journey and insights. |
Directors Summary
Welcome to 2026 at SRA. January sets the tone for everything ahead, and it’s been great to see our athletes attack the year with intent, discipline, and a positive attitude. A quick shout out to our 2025 Award Winners and a big welcome to our Irish Interns Cian & Roisin, the team is super impressed with how you have both “seamlessly” integrated into our community from day 1.
As always, a massive thank you to our major sponsors – Deuce Brand & GYG, the SRA community appreciates all of your support.
Let’s get stuck into 2026 and make it a year to remember.
Shaun Atkins
Director – SRA Sports Therapy
“Dreams > Actions > Results”
The SRA Team