National Academy of Sports
Government sports academy in Tarlac, Philippines
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The National Academy of Sports (NAS) is a government-run sports academy managed by the Philippine government which has its main campus at the New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac.
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| National Academy of Sports | |
|---|---|
| |
_building.jpg) NAS campus in 2022 | |
| Location | |
 | |
Philippines | |
| Coordinates | 15°20′33″N 120°32′17″E |
| Information | |
| Established | June 9, 2020 |
| Authority | Department of Education |
Board chair (concurrent Education Secretary) | Sonny Angara |
Executive Director | Josephine Joy Reyes |
| Enrollment | 52 (September 2021) |
| Area | 25,000 m2 (270,000 sq ft)[1] |
| Nickname | NAS Excel Lions |
History
The National Academy of Sports system was established with the signing of Republic Act No. 11470 on June 9, 2020, by President Rodrigo Duterte. The NAS is a body attached to the Department of Education.[2]
The main campus was set up at the New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac.[2]
Josephine Joy Reyes was appointed as the NAS system's first executive director in October 2020.[3] The first set of officials for the NAS system had their oath-taking in May 2021.[4]
In July 2021, the NAS launched its first NAS Annual Search for Competent, Exceptional, Notable and Talented Student-Athlete Scholars (NASCENT SAS), an annual scholarship program which would scout Filipino student-athletes from across the Philippines.[5]
The NAS' first academic year officially started on September 13, 2021.[6] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, classes will be initially and primarily done virtually.[7][8] The construction for the Phase I of the dedicated campus for the NAS in New Clark City began in early October 2021.[6] It was scheduled to be completed by February 2022,[9] then extended to August 2023.[1][needs update]
The first batch of students graduated in April 2025.[10]
Campus
Academic program
The NAS intends to provide secondary education program with a curriculum intended to improve its students performance in sports.[13] Natural-born qualified athletes will be granted full scholarship.[2] The NAS has plans to cooperate with the Philippine Sports Commission and would be allowed to hire foreign coaches as part of its staff.[14] Para-athletes will also be accommodated by the school system.[15]
The NAS sources its students through its NAS Annual Search for Competent, Exceptional, Notable and Talented Student-Athlete Scholars (NASCENT SAS) scholarship program which scouts Filipino student-athletes from across the Philippines.[5]
The initial program will cover eight sports:[7]
- Aquatics
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Gymnastics
- Judo
- Table tennis
- Taekwondo
- Weightlifting
Administration
The members of the Board of Trustees are:
| Role | Name | Concurrent position / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chairperson | Sonny Angara | Secretary of Education |
| Vice Chairperson | Patrick Gregorio | Chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission |
| Member | Josephine Joy Reyes | Executive Director of the NAS System |
| Member | Abraham Tolentino | President of the Philippine Olympic Committee |
| Member | Prospero de Vera III | Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education |
| Member | Arrey A. Perez | Representative from the private sector |
| Member | Cynthia Ann Tiu | Representative from the private sector |
Competitive sports
The NAS has been sending athletes at the Palarong Pambansa, the national games for student-athletes in the Philippines albeit they are limited to competing in individual sports. They debuted at the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.[16] In the 2025 edition, they adopted the moniker, NAS Excel Lions.[17]