Players touch community
Players have relished the chance to have fun with Albany kids at today's coaching clinics
The kids from a host of Albany primary schools started by counting them out for him and then thought they should increase the degree of difficulty.
One put a hand on his back, another joined in. Soon it escalated and three or four decided to sit on him, until he collapsed on the Centennial Oval turf.
At another station at this coaching clinic, part of West Coast’s community camp in the state’s deep south, Will Schofield was on a bump bag.
He and defensive coach Adrian Hickmott had a group each and the challenge saw two lines of kids gathering the ball after being bumped, collecting it and then feeding it to the next one in line.
Hickmott’s group was in front, so Schofield swooped across, laid a playful tackle on one boy and gently rolled him to the ground, buying his team some time.
This interaction was going on all around the oval, home to the high-achieving Royals Football Club in the Great Southern town.
The coaching clinics are an important element of the community camps and are the manifestation of the aim of “touching” the local community.
It’s what these visits are all about and the players relish the chance to have a bit of fun with the kids. This is the football element of the camp.
The previous day, the theme was all about education as the squad visited schools and talked about striking a balance in life, the need to eat healthy and exercise, while also striving to achieve academically. And the children in the district relished every moment of it.
The players and club administrators also engaged the local clubs with a series of workshops and a panel night, providing an insight into how football works at the elite level.
After two days in the deep south, the players will return to the city this evening and will then engage with metropolitan members and supporters at the club's Fan Day on Kitchener Park from 2pm to 4pm tomorrow.