West Coast star forward Quinten Lynch spent the day in Hedland yesterday as part of the Kicking Goals program, where raging winds and scorching heat greeted him and former Eagle Peter Matera from the Swan Districts Football Club.
After touching down in Port Hedland, they made their way to South Hedland’s Kevin Scott Oval to assist Hedland Senior High School students from the Kicking Goals program conduct a specialist coaching skills session with 14 stations across the ground.
Following a healthy snack, the 30 Kicking Goals students took groups of primary school students from Port Hedland, Baler, Cassia, South Hedland, St Cecilia Primary Schools as well at students from Cassia Ed Support through the various skills stations.
Lynch joined in on the fun and helped out by offering expert advice and words of encouragement throughout the day.
The morning’s coaching clinic, conducted by the Kicking Goals high school students, is just one of the activities the Kicking Goals students must participate in as a part of the Kicking Goals program.
The program focuses on improving life skills, school attendance, academic achievement and the health and wellbeing of young children in the Pilbara region. This is achieved through coaching clinics, videoconference sessions, email and telephone exchanges between players and students and various other activities throughout the year.
Following the coaching clinic, the Kicking Goals team then visited Wirraka Maya, the community health centre, to pay a visit to the hard working staff.
In the afternoon, Lynch and Matera returned to Kevin Scott Oval to hand out Auskick medallions to young aspiring footballers who hope to be a part of the Kicking Goals program in the future.
The Kicking Goals program is a unique partnership between the West Coast Eagles, BHP Billiton Iron Ore and the Swan Districts Football Club that uses sports-based initiatives to help Pilbara communities achieve better educational and employment outcomes. Students have to apply to enter the Kicking Goals program and once accepted must maintain a range of key performance indicators (KPIs) that are decided between the school and their parents.
The program uses role models such as Lynch and the country’s favourite sport of football to deliver positive education and community messages.
Lynch was very excited to be a part of Kicking Goals and believes the benefits of the program will reach farther than just the students.
“The high school students are taught skills that will set them up for life such as team work, goal setting, leadership as well as the importance of staying fit and healthy through a great sport such as football,” said Lynch.
“These skills and the improved attitudes of the students breathe life into this small mining community.
“Without programs such as this one, which is also thanks to BHP Billiton Iron Ore and the Swan Districts Football Club, students wouldn’t be able to feel the pride they have with being involved in something like this.”
