Sanders took groups of grade 5-6 boys and grade 5-10 girls through their paces in the program’s first football training sessions, which will continue with high school-aged boys next Wednesday.

The college has also enlisted mountain biking trio Mark Padgett, Rowena Fry and Ben Mather, cricket coach Marcus Burston and ex-Tamar Rowing Club boss Jim Guy to lead academies in their respective sports. 

Padgett said the program aimed to make earlier connections with young sportspeople and hoped to offer an increased number of sessions next year.

“We just hope in the short term they develop some of their skills and pick up on some new skills, and it supports what they’re doing at a club level and makes them think about where they could go with their sport if they so choose,” Padgett said.