Port Adelaide players are back in the classroom, with this week marking the beginning of the 2015 Power Community Youth Program.
Led by four-time Magarey medallist and club legend Russell Ebert, Power players will enter classrooms throughout the year to teach middle and primary school students about living healthy lifestyles.
Ebert manages the Community Youth Program and says it provides a great opportunity for players to participate in another side of football that helps and works with children.
“The players pass on information about their own lifestyles, which they've developed since starting their AFL careers," Ebert told portadelaidefc.com.au.
"The diet, fitness and education components of day-to-day life in footy is something many students don't know about until they're visted by the Community Youth Program.
“The players cover the benefits of being healthy, and actively promote good habits and having good decision-making skills.”
Students from four different schools in grades five to seven are given the chance to be part of the program for three weeks each term.
The program started in 1999, and has always encouraged its younger players to get involved as 'teachers' in the program.
It is the longest-running in-school youth program in the AFL industry.
Many new recruits are themselves fresh out of school when they join the club and are able to connect with students with ease.
Decked out in their Power gear, the players and community team members are hoping to further grow the program this year.
Ebert and Power Community team member Sasha De Kievit and players Mitch Harvey and Billy Frampton visited Ocean View College in Port Adelaide heartland for the first day of the CYP on Thursday.
The players helped run the session and went around helping the students work through the healthy eating and being active part of their program workbook.
The students loved getting involved in the activities, while getting up close to Port Adelaide players made the day even more special.
It’s Billy Frampton’s first year participating in the program, as well as his first year on thePower's list, and he says that it’s helping him develop new skills like the students.
“I wasn’t too sure what to expect but I’m really enjoying it,” Frampton said after his third session of the day.
“I haven’t had much experience talking in front of people so it’s good to work on that and good to help out with the kids and pass on some knowledge.”
Mitch Harvey is entering his second year of the program and says it’s helping him shape his skills outside of footy.
“I’ve really enjoyed it,” Harvey said.
“It’s helped develop me as a person and improved my confidence at talking in front of people, I hope to keep doing it over the next couple of years.
"The program gives us a chance to work with primary school kids and teach what we know about healthy living.
"We have a chance to have an impact on kids directly, just not when we're playing footy, and they love the chance to learn about the life of a sportsperson."
