APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR 2015 WAMS JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP

The Women of Australian Motor Sport committee has opened applications for its annual Junior Development Scholarship (JDS) program.

Now in its fourth year, the WAMS JDS program provides the recipient with the necessary tools on and off the track to strengthen their chances of a successful career in motor sport. While the JDS does not provide financial assistance, the successful applicant will have a scholarship tailored to meet their individual needs, with various opportunities which may include:

A position at a Driver Development Camp
Fitness assessment and ongoing training program
Sports Psychology review
Nutrition training
Media training, including Social Media
Driver training
Testing opportunities
Mentoring
Networking opportunities

Previous recipients of the JDS include off-road racer Kristy Hedley (2012/13), open-wheel racer Caitlin Wood (2013/2014) and WA state Formula Ford driver Tayla Dicker (2014/2015) who says the program has not only boosted her racing profile but taught her many significant lessons to be a better all-round racer.

“WAMS helped me out enormously with getting into the second round of the CAMS development camp and I can’t even explain how beneficial the camp was,” Dicker said.

“I learnt so many new things that I probably wouldn’t be aware of now involving fitness, driving skills and many other things too.

“For me, the scholarship has really helped in getting my name out in the public.

“The publicity through social media has been great and the scholarship has enabled me to be recognised formally.

“This has been really helpful when trying to attract sponsorship as it is something that looks really great to potential sponsors.

“From quite a shy and introverted person about this time last year, I now feel confident talking to new people and telling them a bit about myself and my goals which has been so beneficial for me.”

To be eligible for the 2015 JDS program, applicants must be:

A female racing driver who holds a current KA or CAMS competition licence
Aged between 15 and 24 years as at July 1, 2015 (parental consent required for applicants under 18 years)
Available to travel for the fitness camp
Able to provide minor WAMS signage on their vehicle/suit
Willing to display a WAMS banner at entered events (where possible)
Willing to provide regular progress updates throughout the year

To apply, applicants must complete the Application Form available on the WAMS website (www.wams.org.au) and return via email to info@wams.org.au, along with a recent photo of yourself and a copy of your competition licence, by 5pm AEST on Friday 26 June, 2015.

The WAMS selection panel will review all applications and select a winner at their discretion. The selection panel will include experienced drivers and motor sport personnel.

In the unlikely event that no applicant is considered suitable, WAMS is under no obligation to carry through with the scholarship for the dates listed above and reserves the right to extend the application period or re-open applications at a later date. The committee’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.