Before the 2012 AFL season kicks off, two of West Coast’s newest recruits Fraser McInnes and Brad Dick yesterday hit the road and headed north for the club’s Kicking Goals program.

With McInnes heading to Hedland Senior High School, and Dick paying a visit to students at Newman Senior High School, both players spent the day going through footy drills with students, sharing tips and advice and having question and answer sessions with the youngsters.

Having been recruited from Collingwood last year, yesterday was Dick’s maiden voyage to the Pilbara for Kicking Goals, and he said the program did not disappoint.

“I can see why this program is doing as well as it is,” the former Magpies forward said.

“To give kids a pretty exciting incentive, like a visit from AFL footballers to encourage them to turn up to school and give it a really good crack, it’s a great system and we as the visiting players certainly get a lot out of it.

“To be able to pass on our stories, our journey from when we were at school like them to where we are now, and just get back to basics and have a kick with them, it’s definitely something I’m proud to be a part of.”

Kicking Goals, which is one of Australia’s largest regional mentoring programs, is a joint initiative between BHP Billiton, the West Coast Eagles and Swan Districts football clubs, with the aim to improve attendance levels, encourage healthy choices and improve antisocial behaviour among students in the remote Pilbara region of WA.

Combining sport-based initiatives to help students in the Pilbara achieve better educational and employment outcomes, Kicking Goals utilises a reward system, whereby students are required to maintain certain key standards to be eligible for various incentives such as visits from West Coast players.

The West Coast Eagles thank BHP Billiton for making the Kicking Goals program possible.