Spring School Holidays · Hawthorn East · 2026
Show up to tryouts with confidence in the work you have put in.
A structured lead-up and holiday intensive designed around one goal — making sure fitness is never the reason you don't make the team.
The reality
At Hawthorn VJBL tryouts, 120 athletes compete for 60 spots across six teams. Ten per team. Every minute on that court is being watched.
The kids still running hard in the final 20 minutes get noticed. The ones who fade by halftime — even if they were great in the first ten minutes — get judged on what the coach sees when they look up from their notepad.
The structure
Rep Ready is built across two phases — a 3-week lead-up that builds your base, and a holiday intensive that peaks you right before tryouts.
Phase 1 — Lead-up · 3 weeks
Build the base
Late August – 19 September 2026
Three weeks of structured training to build the aerobic engine, movement quality and strength that Phase 2 will demand. Two gym sessions and one running session per week. For kids out of finals early — this is your head start.
Phase 2 — Holiday Intensive · 1 week
Peak for tryouts
19 September – 3 October 2026
The final push. Intensity ramps up with two gym and two running sessions across the holiday week. Each running session includes 35 minutes of game-intensity conditioning — timed to match VJBL half duration.
The moment it's all for
Tryouts begin
From 4 October 2026
You walk in having done the work. That's not confidence someone gave you — it's confidence you built.
The programs
Start with Phase 2 only, commit to the full lead-up, or go all-in with the Elite bundle. Every option is built around the same goal.
Running only · Holiday week
2 sessions total
$190
Spring school holidays · Phase 2 only
Gym + Running · Holiday week
4 sessions total
$350
Spring school holidays · Phase 2 only
3-week base-building program
9 sessions total
$499
3 weeks · Late August – 19 September
Full lead-up + holiday intensive
13 sessions total
$699
Save $150 vs buying separately · 6 weeks of preparation
Everything + on-court skills sessions
with a Hawthorn Magic coach
From $799 TBC
Pending Hawthorn Magic confirmation · Expression of interest open now
What you're actually training
A tryout isn't a training session. It's a 90-minute audition where coaches are watching everyone at once. Here's what Rep Ready prepares you for.
Sustained high output
Running sessions are structured around ~35 minutes of game-intensity effort — matched to VJBL half duration. You'll know what it feels like to still be running hard when others aren't.
Competitive environment
Training alone is different from training with athletes who want the same thing. Chasing someone faster than you is a different stimulus entirely — and that's by design.
Athletic strength
Gym sessions that complement the running — not replace it. Force production, change of direction, and resilience under fatigue. All basketball-specific.
On-court skills (Elite)
The Elite bundle adds weekly on-court sessions coached by a Hawthorn Magic VJBL coach — so the fitness you build in the gym and on the track translates directly to basketball movement.
Mental readiness
There's a version of confidence coaches can see. It comes from having done the work. Rep Ready doesn't promise you a spot — it makes sure you walk in knowing you prepared.
Timed to peak
The program is sequenced to finish a few days before tryouts begin — enough time to rest, recover, and walk in feeling sharp. Not overtrained. Not underprepared.
The coach
"Rep 8 is where SiSU starts."
I hold an Exercise Science degree and I'm currently head coach at Hawthorn Magic VJBL — so I'm not designing this program from theory. I'm designing it from the sideline, watching week after week what actually separates athletes when tryouts come around.
The answer is almost always fitness. Not skill — fitness. The kid who's still moving hard in the last 20 minutes is the kid who gets noticed. Rep Ready exists to make sure that kid is yours.
At SiSU's April 2026 Holiday Program, athletes recorded +21cm vertical jump and +35cm broad jump improvements in a single week. Rep Ready takes that same methodology and applies it to what VJBL tryouts specifically demand.
Every session is coached. Not supervised — coached. Max 8 in gym sessions. A structured program behind every run. I know what the coaches on the other side of tryouts are looking for, because I'm one of them.
Questions
Who is this for?
Any athlete aged 10–18 trying out for VJBL rep basketball — whether you're breaking in for the first time or already in the program and need to protect your spot. Both groups have something to prove at tryouts.
Do I need to be a Hawthorn Magic player?
No. Rep Ready is open to all VJBL athletes. You don't need to be trying out for Hawthorn specifically — any rep club is welcome.
What's the difference between Phase 1 and Phase 2?
Phase 1 is the 3-week lead-up program — 2 gym and 1 running session per week, 9 sessions total. It builds your base. Phase 2 is the holiday intensive — 2 gym and 2 running sessions across the holiday week, 4 sessions total. It peaks you. They're designed to work together, but you can also do Phase 2 on its own.
What does a running session look like?
60 minutes total: a structured warm-up, approximately 35 minutes of game-intensity conditioning, and a cool-down. The intensive block is deliberately matched to VJBL half duration — so athletes experience exactly the sustained output that tryouts demand before they're standing in that gym.
What is the Elite bundle?
The Elite bundle adds weekly on-court skills sessions coached by a Hawthorn Magic VJBL coach on top of the full Phase 1 + 2 program. Pricing is being confirmed — register your expression of interest now and you'll be first to know when details are locked in.
Where are sessions held?
Running sessions are held at ovals in Hawthorn East. Gym sessions are at the SiSU Training Academy facility in Hawthorn East. Exact locations confirmed on registration.
Can my child do this alongside other training?
Yes. Rep Ready is structured to complement existing basketball training without conflicting with club sessions. Phase 1 is 3 sessions per week and Phase 2 is 4 sessions across one holiday week — manageable alongside other commitments.
Spots are limited across all packages. Register your interest now and we'll be in touch with full details as soon as the program opens.
Register interest now