PORT Adelaide players have met with over 4,000 young people across South Australia as part of the club’s annual Regional Day.
Tuesday saw Power players visit 20 schools and 10 junior football clubs in the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Yorke Peninsula, Adelaide Hills, Mid North and the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Delivering Port Adelaide’s Community Youth Program and Power to End Violence Against Women program, players also ran footy skills clinics, Q&A discussions and signing sessions.
Karl Amon, Jasper Pittard and Robbie Gray with students at Robertstown Primary School. PHOTO: Jordan Bianchini.
Thanks to EnergyAustralia, Robbie Gray, Jasper Pittard and Karl Amon took these programs to the state’s Mid North, visiting Burra and Robertstown schools to talk about healthy living and wellbeing.
These sessions were followed by a nutritious lunch and skills clinic with Manoora and Saddleworth Primary Schools.
Gray said the club’s regional community trips are always rewarding, both for the students and the players.
“It’s always great to be able to head to a country region and talk to students about the importance of healthy living so they can form good habits from a young age,” Gray said.
“The passion of the Mid North community towards footy is amazing. They live and breathe it and it’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm of all the kids.
“Given the hectic nature of an AFL season, it’s also enjoyable for us to be able take some time out and travel to regional areas to connect with students.
“We also have a lot of supporters in this region so it’s great to be able to engage with them and spend some time signing autographs, having some photos and chatting about the club and footy in general."
With only 13 students enrolled at Roberstown Primary School, the kids were able to get up close and personal with the players - something upper primary teacher Julie Schutz said was really special.
"These kids are regional kids from a rural community and they don’t get to do things like this a great deal of the time," she told Portadelaidefc.com.au.
"So to link in and have some people that are quite famous come out and have a kick and a chat session has been absolutely wonderful."
To find out more about the club’s community programs, visit the Power Community Limited page here.
Jasper, @robbiegray_9 and @karl_amon are in the Mid North today delivering community programs! #weareportadelaide pic.twitter.com/xaIrZTnnbR
— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) June 21, 2016
Students at Burra Community School with @PAFC players @robbiegray_9, Jasper Pittard & @karl_amon pic.twitter.com/qwDpPPCDKj
— EnergyAustralia (@EnergyAustralia) June 21, 2016
Good bunch from Kapunda High that participated @PAFC Power to End Violence Against Women program @DPWestCentacare pic.twitter.com/ciWwYtfKJz
— Ross Wait (@Ross_Wait) June 21, 2016
.@KDangerMitchell holding court @ Goolwa Primary School.@Jschulz28, @Austin3Logan & @camoshea13 can't get a word in pic.twitter.com/kXttpsPGjF
— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) June 21, 2016
"Did you always want to be a footballer when you grow up?" Saddleworth & Manoora Primary asking tough q's to @PAFC pic.twitter.com/mrOfigto9K
— EnergyAustralia (@EnergyAustralia) June 21, 2016