The West Coast Eagles recently completed its third trip to the Pilbara as part of the club's 2016 Kicking Goals program.
West Coast midfielder Kane Lucas accompanied Eagles in the Community development officer James Grabski to Newman while developing on-baller Corey Adamson joined sports science assistant Connor Clancy in Port Hedland.
Lucas and Grabski worked on coaching skills with students in Newman while Adamson and Clancy arrived in Hedland loaded with 30 GPS units designed to test the students’ speed, agility and endurance.
The children impressed Adamson and Clancy with their running speed; one year nine student clocked an AFL-standard 30.2kmph top speed during a sprint exercise.
Adamson’s most recent trip was his fourth visit to the Pilbara and the 24-year-old said each trip delivered a unique experience.
“It’s great to come up and see how much the kids take away from the program,” Adamson said.
“Bringing other staff members up is especially important. Not everyone can be a footballer so to show them what other opportunities are available in sport, it really opens up their eyes.”
As part of their commitment to the V Swans program, Kicking Goals, West Coast Eagles players and staff make five annual trips to the Pilbara.
Run in conjunction with Swan Districts Footballs Club and with the support of BHP Billiton, Kicking Goals is one of the largest regions-based AFL mentoring programs in Australia.
The program is curriculum based and encourages students to maintain certain KPI’s in order to stay in the program.
Regular visits from West Coast Eagles players are just one of many incentives on offer for the students.