Western Bulldogs players have visited schools in regional areas in the lead up to a community camp next week.
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Pupils at Invermay and Caledonian primary schools were excited to meet players Tom Boyd, Mitch Wallis and Marcus Adams on Monday.
The young Bulldog stars offered the students an insight into their lives including training, injuries, health and nutrition, lifestyle, study and what was involved in the AFL Grand Final.
They happily answered all kinds of questions before running a series of training drills, signing autographs and taking selfies with the students.
Defender Marcus Adams said the players enjoyed getting out and spending time with the kids.
“Being able to give them a bit of insight into what we do, hopefully it brings a little bit of joy to their day because school is probably not the most fun for them sometimes,” Adams said.
Midfielder Mitch Wallis could still remember a similar visit when he was at school.
“I grew up in Essendon and was surrounded by Essendon supporters, which was quite hard because I was such a Bulldog lover, but I remember Matthew Lloyd coming out one day when I was in grade 5 and that made my week, it made my year,” Wallis said.
“Hopefully we had a lasting impression on these kids and they remember the time that we came out and said hello and took them through a few drills.”
It was something forward Tom Boyd could also relate to when he was younger.
“Growing up as a kid who loved footy, I always loved watching and copying what the AFL players were doing at the time,” Boyd said.
“Whatever we can do to bring a bit of happiness and enjoyment as well as a bit of knowledge, that is what we’re here for.”
The visit was not only about putting smiles on children’s faces, but also about growing the football club’s connection with Ballarat.
Already Boyd had noticed an increase in the number of Bulldog supporters around town.
“We had a lot of friendly Bulldog faces in the school today,” he said.
“The Western Bulldogs are both strongly committed to both Ballarat and the extended western suburbs of Melbourne, we’re just going to continue to grow our supporter base out here and continue just to make an impact where we can.”
Expanding the ‘western front’ to work with youth
Western Bulldogs will expand its program to develop young community leaders from Ballarat into Ararat, Stawell and across Golden Plains.
Focusing on developing confidence and leadership skills, Western Bulldogs Leadership Project took its first Ballarat intake last year.
This builds on the Bulldog’s community development move into region, including men’s health initiatives and junior literacy programs, in a bid to help develop the club’s broader western Victorian territory beyond the field.
Project members will spend six months workshopping with industry leaders, Bulldogs men and women players and coaches. The program will draw on local community leaders, so project members will be better equipped in understanding important issues of their own regions.
The program also features excursions, including match-day experiences. The Bulldogs are looking for self-motivated young people who need not excel athletically, or play sport to be considered.
There was a sense of the unknown when the project launched in Ballarat last year, but participant Kathryn Hutchins told Fairfax Media it was a great experience.
“I’m learning so much from it, not just about myself but how other people are leaders,” Kathryn said, midway through the program. “I’m also learning so much from the people around me.”
Kathryn said a workshop with Bulldogs Luke Dahlhaus and Jordan Roughead was fascinating, analysing the different ways they showed leadership in their team.
The project is moving into Ararat Rural City Council, Northern Grampians and Golden Plains this year, with programs to return in Ballarat, Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton, Moonee Valley and Glenelg Shire.
The six-month program is open to all year nine and 10 students. Workshops are developed between March and September. For more details or to nominate, visit westernbulldogs.com.au
Open training
Bulldog Mitch Wallis called for Ballarat supporters to come along to the club’s open training sessions on Monday and Tuesday next week and say hello to some of the players.
“It would be great to meet some of the fans and some of the local people who love their footy, who we are going to play in front of in a couple of months,” Wallis said.
The Bulldogs will be out and about town for the third consecutive summer. This time the Bulldogs will also expand the AFL community camp activities into Horsham.