The weekend will be held at SportUNE, where NIAS athletes will utilise their sporting facilities across both days.

The education weekend is an important component of the NIAS program for all athletes and features special guest speakers and sport specific based activities. This is the first year NIAS is partnering with UNE Life to host the weekend and provides very exciting prospects for all involved.

Athletes in the AFL, Lonestar, athletics, basketball, golf, hockey, tennis, rugby league, cycling and mountain biking programs will all be in attendance.

While individual squads have engaged in numerous training sessions and weekend training camps, this is the first major event for this year that the squads will be participating in a weekend event altogether.

Marni Hietbrink from Peak Psychology, Warren Ansell from Pro-Active Physiotherapy and Selena Chan from Food Smart Selena will be the major guest speakers for 2020.

Each of them will be providing invaluable information on their individual fields of expertise, and how they are interrelated with athletes in sporting environments. Following this, the athletes will be able to engage in sport-specific fitness testing across the SportUNE facilities.

These facilities include a gym, rock climbing wall, pool, courts for netball, basketball, badminton, squash and tennis, and sports fields for rugby league, rugby union, soccer, AFL, cricket, and softball.

NIAS Sports Programs and Events Manager Brent Hartley says, "It is a brilliant opportunity for athletes and coaches to learn more through experienced professionals, and to be able to use the range of quality facilities at SportUNE".

After having gained invaluable knowledge from the guest speakers and engaged in fitness testing on the Saturday, the athletes will be participating in squad training sessions on Sunday morning.

ATHLETE PROFILE: Sharni Styles

Hometown: Armidale

How long have you played netball? I have played netball for seven years.

What netball position do you most prefer? My favourite position is Goal Shooter.

What are your sporting goals? I always want to try my hardest and continue to learn as many skills as I can so I can be the best I can be.

Who is your favourite athlete?

Gretel Tippett is my favourite athlete. She plays for the Queensland Firebirds and has played for the Australian Diamonds.

Like me, Gretel shoots goals and plays in Goal Attack or Goal Shooter and has also played in Wing Attack.

Greatest influence on your sporting career? My greatest influence is my strong passion for netball.