Funding boost for Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence

Cricket Australia's (CA) Centre of Excellence has received a strong boost with a $17.5 million investment from the Australian Government that will ensure that the joint CA/Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) program continues to produce world class players.
The Centre of Excellence, which was established in 1987 as the national cricket academy, is currently based in Brisbane and has a long history of nurturing and developing Australiaâs top cricketers, and the new round of funding will only aid this cause.
The $17.5 million injection will assist in the current re-development of the Centre of Excellence, with the new centre to include sports medicine resources, performance analysis and sport science facilities.
Federal Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis, was on hand at the Allan Border Field yesterday as part of the announcement and identified the importance of the facility.
Minister Ellis stated âsince its beginning as the Cricket Academy in 1987, the Centre of Excellence has proved its worth by producing hundreds of first-class cricketers and helping to build the national menâs and womenâs teams of which we are all so proud.�?
In 2010 some of the best young talent from around Australia will have their chance to train under the coaching staff headed by former Australian cricket captain, Greg Chappell.
All scholarship holders, aside from receiving the highest level of cricket coaching, have access to Sports Science and Sports Medicine staff, who are instrumental in delivering a high quality program to the athletes.
A playerâs weekly schedule will include a combination of cricket skills training, game scenarios, strength and conditioning training, injury prevention strategies, nutrition, recovery, sport psychology and various sport science related activities, with player career and welfare courses also included.