The NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) has rolled out its first Para Transition Program, which aims to provide more support and opportunities for young people with disabilities to engage in Para-sport. 

The new program is in line with the national Para System Uplift, launched in late 2022 as part of the Australian Sports Commission’s Win Well Strategy. Para Uplift aims to support athlete development, enhance training environments, improve classification and foster collaboration between sporting bodies.  

The Para Transition Program spans six weeks, with the invited athletes exposed to a range of Para-sports, as well as the basics of strength and conditioning, wellbeing and recovery principles, and the classification process. Staff from NSWIS have partnered with elite athletes and coaches from sports including sitting volleyball, goalball, Para-powerlifting, Para-shooting, and more, to provide an inclusive and educational experience. 

Kara Retford, Paralympics Australia’s Classification Lead, National Institute Network Support, said the NSWIS transition program was a great opportunity for budding athletes to come together and see what various Para-sports have to offer.   

“You walk away each Tuesday night seeing smiles on their faces and you go, ‘Yep, we’re hitting the mark’.” Retford said.

She has been attending the evenings at Sydney Olympic Park to provide information about the classification process, one of many pieces in the puzzle for athletes and their supporters who are new to the Para-sport world. 

Kaili Metani, mother to one of the athletes, said the program has made an impact on her and her daughter.  

“It’s given us an avenue to talk about procedure and process, classifications, and things like that, but also somewhere we can ask questions and support each other,” she said, referring to the other parents and carers.  

“I’ve got this wealth of resources; I know where to go to find out information and get Alia participating.”  

Ms Metani’s daughter, Alia, is 10 years old and competes at state level in frame-running, with the goal of going further with the sport as she gets older. According to Ms Metani, before attending the Para transition program, Alia – who also uses a frame as her primary mobility aid in everyday life – had never been confident using a wheelchair.  

“We did basketball a few weeks ago,” she said, “and Alia learnt how to navigate with a wheelchair. It’s massive what she’s achieved from this. It’s fantastic! 

“It’s about making adjustments to make it inclusive […] and they are so good at that here. They make it so enjoyable that everyone wants to participate.” 

For more experienced athletes, the NSWIS Para Transition Program provides a stepping stone toward the future. Kirrili Woods, already an accomplished Para-swimmer currently in her final year of high school, said the connection to NSWIS and available support should make pursuing her sporting goals much more possible. As is the case for many, Kirrili also said that one of the best parts of being a Para-athlete is “having people who understand what you’re going through. They get you and you get them.”  

Community and connection are an integral part of what makes the Para-sport world so important to those involved. Whether it’s young athletes having a laugh as they try a new sport, parents sharing tips and advice, or emerging champions finding like-minded peers as they pursue their dreams – initiatives like the Para Transition Program, and the hard work and support of the people behind it, are essential.  

Linda Henderson, Kirrili’s mother and an athlete herself, summed it up perfectly: “I’ve found it incredible just watching all the different people and seeing the inclusion, how they’re all playing and learning with each other. Learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The whole program itself is amazing – but what it’s teaching them, even without the sport, is next level.” 

Zara Perry, Paralympics Australia

Recommended Articles