Cathedral College Wangaratta changing the game with new academy program

Cathedral College Wangaratta has launched the program in partnership with the Murray Bushrangers with 11 students involved.

The majority are aspiring footballers, with two talented cricketers also using it as an opportunity to fine-tune their skills whilst at school.

Students work with academy coordinator Dale Carmody for one lesson a week and he's hopeful it will see more choose to study in the region rather than relocate to bigger private schools in Melbourne to reach their goals.

"We're still very much an academic-based school, but it's just giving those kids with elite talent the chance to spend some time on that," Carmody said.

"We're actually hoping to build a gym out here as well so we can have strength and conditioning done on site."

North Melbourne captain Jack Ziebell and 2020 draftee Elijah Hollands are recent examples of players from the region who went to school in Melbourne and earned AFL contracts.

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"There's a lot of writing about how the private schools bring through all these footballers, but they go and cherry-pick the best kids in the country and claim them as their own," Carmody said.

"From their point of view it's a smart play to get guys like Jack Ziebell and Elijah Hollands when they're young because they know they'll be stars."

Carmody has worked on and off with the Bushrangers for more than a decade and close to half of the students are in squads at the club.

Keeley Skepper, Cass Mailer, Ava Loughnan and Sam Peppler are involved in the Bushies NAB League girls program, while Josh Tweedale will play for the under-17 boys in 2021.

Skepper travels in from Barnawartha and the academy was a huge drawcard to enrol at the college.

"It's my first year at the school and everyone is pretty welcoming. It's a good football program they've started up and I'm excited to go on with it," she said.

"It's a good chance to get some extra training in.

"Bri Cossar, who was our talent coordinator last year, called me up and asked if I wanted to join it and I was never going to say no."

Tweedale has been at the school since year 7 and hopes the program will see him develop as a footballer and a person.

"It's going to be good, definitely for the development of everyone," the young ruckman added.

"It was a no-brainer."

Cathedral College Wangaratta will become the first regional school to host a NAB League fixture when the Bushrangers girls face Western Jets on February 27.

Construction of tennis and hockey facilities have also started at the school, with elite soccer facilities in the pipeline.