Canberra High School opens 2026 Athlete Development Program for club-level athletes

Canberra High School has opened applications for its Athlete Development Program in 2026, inviting students already playing club sport to apply for specialist coaching during school hours.

The program is aimed at athletes who want to keep improving in their chosen sport while staying on top of schoolwork. It is open to any student participating in club competition who shows commitment to further development, with existing Canberra High students also needing to meet attendance, behaviour and academic standards set by the school.

Training locations across Canberra

Sessions will take place at venues familiar to Canberra athletes, including Aranda Oval for athletics and soccer, Bruce Ridge for mountain biking, the Macquarie tennis centre for tennis, and the school gym and courts for basketball, volleyball and netball. Strength and conditioning work will be based in the school weights room. The timetable is arranged so athletes miss different classes each week rather than the same lesson repeatedly.

Each participant will attend 20 one-hour coaching sessions across the year, split into ten sessions per semester. Coaches are brought in for the specific sports on offer, and teachers are notified in advance so missed classwork can be caught up. When a student’s main sport is not listed they can be placed in strength and conditioning instead.

Application timeline and cost

Families must submit expressions of interest through the school’s Google form before applications close in week four of term one next year. Trials for selected sports follow in week six, with successful applicants notified and invoiced the $240 annual fee in week seven. The program is scheduled to begin in week eight. A single information session for interested students is set for week two, and the ADP coordinator will also be available at the meet-the-teacher evening in week three.

Payment plans are offered for families who need them, and the school notes that a minimum number of athletes is required for each sport to run. The $240 fee covers the full year of coaching and use of facilities listed for each activity.

Students accepted into the program agree to attend school carnivals in swimming, athletics and cross country, wear the ADP uniform to sessions, and follow the directions of their coaches. The school will also arrange guest presentations from sporting figures once each semester.

Further details and the application link are available on the Canberra High School website under the excellence section. Late applications from students who enrol after the main process will be considered case by case.