Introducing the Apelle Norwood Rising Flames Academy!
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the *Apelle Norwood Rising Flames NBL1 Academy*
This elite program, brought to you by Apelle and the *Norwood Flames NBL1, is designed for our brightest young prospects, offering unparalleled *on-court and off-court development to help them reach their full potential. From skill-building to leadership training, we’re committed to shaping the next generation of basketball stars.
Our Objective
The Apelle Norwood Rising Flames NBL1 Academy aims to prepare our top young athletes for elite pathways, including progression into our NBL1 program. By focusing on high-level development, we are ensuring that Norwood continues to produce players who are ready to excel at the next level.
“The Rising Flames Academy is the culmination of a shared vision to develop elite players internally and equip our juniors with every tool they need to excel at the highest level of basketball.” – Kelly O’Brien, Club Chairperson
- What’s in store?
High-performance coaching led by Head Coach Kerwin Penn
Strength and conditioning programs with Mason from Athletemovement
Mental performance coaching with Cal McKinnon from Rise Above
Video analysis to accelerate growth and understanding
Close links to NBL1 programs, including watching games and trainings
Exclusive club events, such as being the demo team at guest coach clinics
- Who’s eligible?
Players will be selected from the following age groups:
U16, U18, U21 (Men)
U16, U18, U23 (Women)
- Age Streams
Stream 1: Second-year U16s (born 2010) and first-year U18s (born 2009)
Stream 2: Players born 2008 and older
“An NBL1 Academy of sorts has been in our thought process for a while now. It’s taken a lot of groundwork to get to this point for launch. I’m really excited to see a great platform for young prospects to not only grow with advanced tactics, game sense and skills—but more importantly, life skills, habits, and understandings of what the NBL1 and beyond spaces look, sound, and feel like (in every facet!).” – Will Smith, NBL1 GM
The *selection process begins immediately, with invitations being sent out to the relevant players. This is a **full scholarship program, entirely funded by the *Norwood Basketball Club and Apelle, ensuring our Rising Flames have every opportunity to succeed.
With an incredible team of experts guiding our Rising Flames, the future of basketball has never looked brighter!
A huge thank you to Apelle for their support in making this vision a reality. Together, we’re igniting the future of basketball!
“At Apelle, we believe in fostering the next generation of elite athletes, and the Rising Flames Academy is a testament to that commitment. This program is more than just basketball—it’s about developing young players into disciplined, resilient, and skilled competitors who can thrive both on and off the court. We are proud to support the Norwood Flames in creating a pathway for aspiring athletes to reach their full potential.” – Adrian Ravish, Director of Apelle
Furthering our partnership with GameReady Performance, our academy will be using the GameReady facility for strength and conditioning, recovery, and on court learning sessions. Being able to use this facility helps us to get the most out of these sessions, as we can do so much in the one place.
Former Norwood NBL1 Assistant coach Kerwin Penn has been appointed as Head Coach for the academy.
“Kerwin has been a great coach for years at Norwood in the NBL1 and U21 programs. He’s also been involved in High Performance settings and knows exactly what the athletes need to prepare them for elite pathways. His details, knowledge and ability to connect with the athletes on a relationship level will really allow him to bring the best out of our young junior prospects! I’m really looking forward to working with him further in this venture.” Will Smith – NBL1 General manager
I’m excited to work with the next generation of Norwood Flames! It’s a privilege to coach these exciting talents and an incredible initiative by the club to invest in the next generation.
Let’s get to work! – Coach Kerwin Penn
Launch date March 7th 2025
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