In addition to our wide array of extra-curricular opportunities, Nazareth offer specialist academies that span various learning areas, including sports and the arts.
Nazareth Academies focus on developing athletic or artistic potential towards the elite level whilst maintaining and supporting academic studies.
Students receive quality mentoring and feedback on their skill training, physical preparation, performance, and personal development. These programs are conducted by highly experienced and credentialed coaches in partnership with the relevant state organisations. Positions in specialist academies are limited; therefore, students are required to trial or audition to be considered.
Superior sports education.
In Years 7-11, we operate elite sports academies for AFL, AFLW, Basketball, Football (Soccer), Netball and Volleyball.
At Nazareth we have developed a culture where talented student-athletes are supported to balance their sporting passion with their studies.
Nazareth Academies have assisted our students in making state and national teams, achieving personal bests and winning championships. They have also provided pathways to employment and professional careers post-school, including the NBL and A-League soccer.
Read more about our Academy Directors, competitions and achievements:
AFL
Year Levels Offered: Years 8-10
Places Available: Approx 20 per year
Academy Directors:
Alex Spina:
- Former Adelaide Crows AFL player
- Current SANFL North Adelaide Football Club captain and premiership player (167 games)
- North Adelaide Football Club life member
- SA State Representative Team player (2021-2022)
- The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year (2021)
Mitch Clisby:
- Former Melbourne and Essendon AFL player
- Former SANFL North Adelaide Football Club captain and premiership player (151 games)
- Current North Adelaide Football Club Assistant Coach
- North Adelaide Football Club life member
- SA State Representative Team player (2016)
Competitions: Middle and senior co-curricular teams and knockout competition
AFLW
Year Levels Offered: Years 8-10
Academy Directors:
Daniel Webb:
- Former Port Adelaide AFL player
- Current SANFL West Adelaide Football Club premiership player (127 games)
- West Adelaide Football Club life member
- SA State Representative Team player (2014)
Brooke Travena:
- Current Glenelg Football Club SANFL player
- Glenelg Football Club Junior Talent Officer
- Glenelg Football Club Junior Coach
Competitions: Middle and senior co-curricular teams and knockout competition
Basketball
Year Levels Offered: Years 7-11
Places Available: Approx 20 per year
Academy Directors:
Alex Starling:
- Current NBL Adelaide 36ers player
- Former South Adelaide Panthers and North Adelaide Rockets player
- 3× Premier League / NBL1 Central champion (2014, 2016, 2022)
- 2× Premier League / NBL1 Central Grand Final MVP (2014, 2022)
- 2× Premier League MVP (2014, 2018)
- 4× Premier League All-Star Five (2014, 2016, 2018, 2023)
- 4× Premier League / NBL1 Central Best Defensive Player (2017, 2019, 2022, 2023)
Will Smith:
- Current NBL1 General Manager at Norwood Flames Basketball Club
- Current Basketball SA U20 Men Red Team Head Coach (2023)
- Former Basketball SA U20 Men Red Team Assistant Coach (2022 – Silver Medallists)
- Former Basketball SA U20 Men Blue Team Assistant Coach (2021)
- Former Basketball SA Coordinator – 3×3 Basketball, High-Performance Coach, Coach Education & Development
Kahli Harmer:
- Current NBL1 Woodville Warriors District Basketball Club player
- Nazareth Basketball Academy Coordinator
Daniel Stratford:
- Current NBL1 Forestville Eagles Head Coach
- Current SA Country Basketball Head Coach
- Former SA U18 and U16 State Representative Team Head Coach
- Former National Schools Championship Head Coach
- 28x State School Titles
Competitions: SAAS, SSSA and SACSGSSA
Achievements:
- Boys Open A1 State Champions (2020)
- Year 10 Boys State Champions (2020)
Student Exports:
- Yaak Yaak: NBA Global Academy – Div 1 US College
- Aime Ciza: NBA Global Academy – Div 1 US College
- Fiston Ipassou: NBA Global Academy – Div 1 US College
Football (Soccer)
Year Levels Offered: Years 7-11
Places Available: Approx 20 per year
Academy Directors:
Cássio Oliviera:
- Former A-League Adelaide United player (2007-2014)
- Former international professional football player (Flamengo, Internacional, Atlas, Olympia, New England Revolution, Ceara, Brasiliense & Santa Cruz)
- 2x Adelaide United Football Club Player of the Year
- 2x Adelaide United Football Club Club Champion
Stefan Roussos:
- Current FFSA Fulham United Football Club player
- Nazareth Soccer Academy Coordinator
Competitions: Middle and senior co-curricular teams and knockout competition
Student Exports:
- Bernardo Oliviera: Current Adelaide United Football Club Player
- Alex Popovich: Current Adelaide United Football Club Player
- Yiorgos Coutsoumbes: Current Adelaide United Reserves Players, represented SA at the National Youth Championships, represented South Australia in the School Boys National Soccer team, and member of the All Australian School Boys Team
- Anastasia Marzilli: Represented Australia in the U15s Junior Matilda’s squad, U18s NTC, and represented South Australia at the NTC Challenge
Netball
Year Levels Offered: Years 7-10
Places Available: Approx 20 per year
Academy Directors:
Joanna Sutton:
- Former Australian Diamonds squad player (2010)
- Former ANZ Championship Adelaide Thunderbirds player (2009-2011)
- Former ANZ Championship Sydney Swifts premiership player (2006)
Zoe Politis:
- Nazareth Netball Academy Coordinator
- Current Matrics Netball Club Junior Coach
Competitions: Middle and senior co-curricular teams and knockout competition
Volleyball
Year Levels Offered: Years 8-10
Places Available: Approx 20 per year
Academy Directors:
Mackenzie Bristow:
- Nazareth Volleyball Academy Coordinator
Competitions: Middle and senior co-curricular teams and knockout competition
Learn more about our sports academies in our Curriculum Handbooks.
Award-winning arts education.
For advanced musicians in Years 7 and 8, our Music Academies offer exceptional opportunities for students to hone their talents further and immerse themselves in the world of music. Through a carefully crafted curriculum and expert guidance from seasoned instructors, students will explore various musical genres, refining and developing their instrumental, performance, composition, theoretical and music production skills.
Students may elect to study Year 7 Music Academy if they are undertaking private Instrumental tuition. Students may have prior Instrumental experience or commence learning a new instrument in 2024 to be eligible for the Year 7 Music Academy. These Academy programs are designed for students with a keen interest in musical studies at a higher level.
For students in Year 9, our Dance and Drama Academies provide an avenue for self-expression and artistic exploration like no other. With a focus on cultivating creativity and confidence, students explore movement and theatrical performance. From contemporary dance forms to classical drama techniques, our experienced teachers inspire and nurture talents, helping students to discover their true performance potential.
Music
Year Levels Offered: Years 7-8
Places Available: Approx 20-25 per year
Academy Directors:
Jess Joyce:
- Nationally Certified Lead Teacher
- Professional Classical Pianist and Mulit-Instrumentalist
- 3x winner: Directors Award, Elder Conservatorium of Music (2008, 2009, 2010)
- Winner: ABODA Emerging Music Leader Award (2022)
- Former AHOMINGS (Association for Heads of Music in Non-Government Schools) executive team member (2016-2022)
- Current Catholic Education Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) Representative
- Leader of many successful large-scale music events and award-winning ensembles
Wes Brice:
- Nationally Certified Lead Teacher
- Professional Bass Guitar Player performing nationally at festivals and events
- Skilled multi-instrumentalist
- Music Education Degree with a Jazz Specialisation
- Experienced Trainer of Industry Qualifications such as the Certificate III in Music
- Highly Experienced Big Band conductor, winning first place with the Nazareth Stage Band at the 2023 Generations in Jazz National Festival
- Music Technology Expert – Providing Professional Development and Consultancy work in schools across Adelaide
Ruby Mensforth:
- WOMADelaide performer (2022, 2023) with bands Soylent Green and Maisie B
- Co-founded Women in Jazz Adelaide and formed the Women in Jazz Adelaide Big Band, which performed their debut at the Adelaide Festival Centre for International Jazz Day in 2022 and again in 2023
- Travelling to New York on a Jazz Study Tour in 2020 with the Elder Conservatorium of Music
- Recording trombone on multiple album releases with bands including Soylent Green, Maisie B, and the Minnie Little Big Band.
- Performing at Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival in 2022 with the band Soylent Green
Emily Purser:
- 2 years working and living in Tokyo Japan as a Music Teacher at Tamagawa Academy
- Experience developing Music syllabuses, bilingual music curricula and implementing new teaching programs.
- Jazz, pop, and contemporary vocalist who has performed in Australia and Internationally
- Performed in shows and at events such as Adelaide Fringe Festival, Winter Reds, Crush Festival & Schutzenfest
- Music Director for the 2023 Nazareth Musical
- Jazz Performance degree with Jazz Voice Specialisation
- Experienced vocal and band conductor
- Experienced educator, developing scope and sequencing specifically for Middle School Music, Music Academy and Music Technology
Competitions: Students will be given the opportunity to take part in auditions for Co-Curricular Music Ensembles and will also take part in a Music Academy end-of-year Concert.
Student Exports:
- Saoirse Kowalski: Bachelor of Music (Classical Performance), Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide
- Ben Lainio: Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance), Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide
- Isabella Dennis: Bachelor of Sonic Arts, Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide
- Jordan Kane: Bachelor of Popular Music & Creative Technologies, Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide
- Philimon Araya: Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance), Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide
- Tom Kenakidis: Bachelor of Sonic Arts, Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide
- Nick Larsen: Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance), Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide
Dance
Year Levels Offered: Year 9
Places Available: Approx 20-25 per year
Academy Directors:
Hayley Weston:
- Nazareth Performing Arts Coordinator
- Experienced Dance educator with professional performance experience and a broad range of directorial roles
Tina Ebenreuter:
- Nazareth Performing Arts Teacher
- Experienced Dance educator with professional performance experience and a broad range of directorial roles.
Rayzelle Worthington:
- Nazareth Performing Arts Teacher
- Experienced Dance & Drama educator with professional performance experience and a broad range of directorial roles.
Competitions: Past students have had the opportunity to create films and/or perform at events within the college, including the Cabaret, Arts Showcase and Drama Performance evenings and to tour performances to Findon campus.
Drama
Year Levels Offered: Year 9
Places Available: Approx 20-25 per year
Academy Directors:
Anita Wallace:
- Nazareth Performing Arts Coordinator
- Experienced Drama educator with professional performance experience and a broad range of directorial roles
Rayzelle Worthington:
- Nazareth Performing Arts Teacher
- Experienced Dance & Drama educator with professional performance experience and a broad range of directorial roles.
Competitions: Past students have had the opportunity to create films and/or perform at events within the college, including the Cabaret, Arts Showcase and Drama Performance evenings and to tour performances to Findon campus.
Learn more about our arts academies in our Curriculum Handbooks.
