Surf Life Saving NSW is pleased to announce the NSW team that will compete for the inaugural Youth Pathway Cup at Sydney’s Freshwater Beach on Australia Day.


The Youth Pathway Cup is Surf Life Saving’s newest representative competition and will allow the brightest prospects at the U14 and 15 level test their skills against the best Australia has to offer.



All of the mainland state will field teams of 20 athletes for this revolutionary surf sport contest.  



Each squad will consist of 5 male and 5 female athletes with the athletes selected for their versatility on the sand and in the surf.



The NSW competitors have been whittled down from an initial squad of more than 50 names to the final team with last month’s Interbranch Championship providing an opportunity to state their case for selection.



For all of these talented youngsters it will be their first time pulling on the sky blue surf cap, and to compete in a new format is sure to be a thrill.



Surf Sport Manager Rob Pidgeon said it’s an exciting opportunity for this young squad to make their own mark on the sport.



“For several seasons it has been a goal of ours to forge new pathway opportunities for our young athletes to narrow the gap from talented junior to a fully-fledged senior athlete.



“This event has only been made possible through the collaboration of the five states who are all strong supporters, and keen to help make this competition work as a state driven initiative,” said Mr Pidgeon.



“It closely mirrors the senior Interstate Championship format and we’re extremely grateful to Freshwater SLSC and Sydney Northern Beaches Branch for their support in making this possible. The other states will be making the most of the trip by having their teams compete at the Manly Open and Manly Nipper Nats events on the same weekend.”



“There’s plenty of talent in our sport right now which is extremely encouraging, and I would like to wish all the NSW athletes selected the very best of luck for this exhilarating new competition,” he concluded.



The NSW Youth Pathway Cup team will go into camp on Wednesday 24 January 2018 with the competition to be held on Australia Day Afternoon.



 



2018NSW Youth Pathway Cup Team



U14s




  • Lilly Finati (North Bondi SLSC)

  • Holly Holmsby (Bulli SLSC)

  • Jodie Louw (Newport SLSC)

  • Lily O’Sullivan (Cudgen Headland SLSC)

  • Lucy Flanagan (North Cronulla SLSC)

  • Dan Chisholm (Swansea Belmont SLSC)

  • Max Geronimo (Elouera SLSC)

  • Lucas Ottaway (Bulli SLSC)

  • Joel Piper (Newport SLSC)

  • Ty-Jesse Brabant (Port Macquarie SLSC)



U15s




  • Xanthe Christopher (North Bondi SLSC)

  • Piper Harrison (Manly LSC)

  • Maisie Miller (Lennox Head-Alstonville SLSC)

  • Bella Williams (Cooks Hills SLSC)

  • Madeleine Wallace (Collaroy SLSC)

  • Riley Dixon (Wanda SLSC)

  • Nathan Mackenzie (Lennox Head-Alstonville SLSC)

  • Fletcher Myers (Cooks Hill SLSC)

  • Nicholas Stoddart (Swansea Belmont SLSC)

  • Saxon Coates (Swansea Belmont SLSC)



Team Management




  • Head Coach; Scott McCartney (Cudgen Headland)

  • Assistant Coach; Rachelle King (Terrigal)

  • Team Manager; Monique Williams (Cooks Hill)



Friday 5 January 2018