The NSW Waratahs will welcome the International Sports College Australia (ISCA) on board in 2020, in a partnership aimed at supporting emerging athletes from within the NSW Waratahs environment with external studies.
ISCA is a business unit of the prestigious International College of Management Sydney (ICMS), an award-winning higher education institute located on the Northern Beaches.
The new partnership will see NSW Waratahs athletes gain access to ISCA’s award-winning Diploma programs, constructed by leading industry experts to provide an unrivalled combination of high performance and sports business principles – capped off by an internship within the sports industry.
ISCA will appear on the sleeve of NSW Rugby referees across the Sydney Metropolitan region.
NSWRU Head of Talent Identification, Andrew Cleverley said that the education opportunities offered by ISCA would only benefit young players coming through the organisation’s pathway.
“We’re home to one of the biggest nurseries of talent in the country and have a vast number of players coming through our pathways,” Cleverley said.
“We want to develop the best rugby players, but we also want to develop the best people – education and training is such an important part of that.
“In conjunction with the Rugby Union Players Association, we work closely with players as they reach the latter stages of our pathway to understand their goals and aspirations both on and off the field.
“To now offer supported access to the programs that ISCA offer will be hugely beneficial to players across our programs.”
ICMS Professional Scholarship Program Chairperson, Ann Whitelock Courtney-O’Connor said she was excited to be offering NSW Waratahs access to scholarships to support their study efforts.
“The goals of NSW Waratahs and that of ISCA are strongly aligned, with the development and enhancement of young athletes at the core of our vision,” Whitelock Courtney-O’Connor said.
“It is so important to encourage players to engage in career-focused education so they have the best opportunities both on and off the field, currently and into their future.
“The primary focus of the partnership will be on the NSW Generation Blue squad, a fantastic program aimed at promoting emerging young rugby talent within NSW from rural areas through to the greater Sydney metropolitan region.
“We also hope the partnership assists with the development of young female athletes and state referees working with NSW Rugby to become better equipped to deal with the demands of modern professional rugby.”
To find out more about ISCA and the programs and courses they offer, head to www.iscaustralia.edu.au
