Children get a real kick out of learning with AFL stars

PLAYERS from the GWS Giants have made an appearance at Thornton Park in a bid to get more children into the game.

PLAYERS from the GWS Giants have made an appearance at Thornton Park in a bid to get more children into the game.

As part of the AFL club’s Community Camp, ruckman Shane Mumford, utility Adam Tomlinson and Harrison Himmelberg, a new draftee, had a run around with kids from Penrith, aged four to 12, on Thursday, February 18 and worked on some skills.

“It was mainly just teaching them how to kick and handball correctly and just a few little drills,” Tomlinson said.

Some of the kids were pretty young so there were little games that involved the football … it got them used to holding it,” he said.

Giants player Adam Tomlinson practises skills with Chelsea Chamberlain, 6, of Werrington Downs and Ella Roberts, 6, of Werrington County.

The hour-long session at 4pm promoted the area’s AFL Auskick program launch — which sees local children involved in weekly sessions, teaching fundamentals of the sport.

Brett Roberts, local area manager of AFL NSW/ACT, said the organisation was working with the Penrith PCYC and Penrith Giants Junior AFL Club to offer an Auskick centre in Penrith for children aged five to 10.

“It is as joint venture. The whole idea of the launch was to encourage boys and girls to come down and sign up to play,” Mr Roberts said.

“We are looking at running (the centre) between May and August this year on a Friday afternoon.”

Giants player Adam Tomlinson watches the Auskick practice.

Mr Roberts said the Penrith Giants are playing at Greygums Oval in Cranebrook but there are plans to host the Auskick clinic somewhere new, preferably a larger park to “grow the game”.

Tomlinson wanted to encourage children to trial the sessions once they start, as he always found them memorable.

“The game can be pretty complicated at times and just learning the basic skills and rules of the game is where it develops from, so it’s very important,” he said.

“I remember my days at Auskick when I was a four-year-old and I’ll never forget it.”

Giants player Adam Tomlinson signs an autograph for a young fan at the Auskick launch.

-Mr Roberts, who looks after Penrith, Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains, said the Auskick program would give children new opportunities to play

-“It will be looking at a 4pm to 5pm exercise, learning the skills of AFL and making new friends”

-He said Friday afternoons were ideal as Saturdays and Sundays are taken up by other sports