Website:
http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais
The AIS is Australia's Elite Sports training facility. It is based in Canberra but has programs that run all throughout Australia. It homes some of Australia's top elite athletes and coaches.
The Institute offers 34 sport programs in 26 sports, with a varying number of scholarships offered annually to Australia’s finest sportsmen and sportswomen. (http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/about)
The AIS was established on the 25th of January 1980 and opened one year and one day later on the 26th of January 1981. At first it only catered for 8 sports, basketball, gymnastics, netball, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field and weightlifting. It has been running successfully for thirty one years now.
The need for an Institute of Sport was identified after Australia's poor results at the Olympic games in the 1970's. Australia finished 32nd overall at the Montreal Olympics and with many athletes being forced to train overseas the need for an Institute within Australia was evident.
There is approximately 700 athletes with scholarships at the Institute every year and around 75 top level coaches. The athletes not only have access to top coaching and sporting facilities and equipment but because it is a live in program where athletes live at the Institute education and career planning outside of their chosen sport are a large aspect of what is offered to keep a balanced life style for the athletes.
The AIS has produced some of Australia's top sporting athletes for both able bodied and athletes with a disability. Australia is now a strong contender in the Olympics and even more so in the paralympics. Athletes with disabilities have used the facilities since the AIS was opened but the first scholarship wasn't offered until 1989 to the vision impaired field athlete Russell Short. The AIS now has a strong program for disabled athletes which has been growing and developing strongly and producing great results at the paralympics.
The AIS filed the need to develop Australia as a competitive sporting country and it took a national approach to training Australia's elite athletes and achieved what it was designed to do.
"The AIS is a place where people give of themselves in the pursuit of excellence. Friendship, laughter and tears are all a part of this - it is a place worthy of tradition."
- Martin Roberts
Image: http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/history
AIS Swimming Pool
Images: http://www.jsblighting.com.au/Projects/AIS-Swimming-Pool.aspx
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