FROM GOOLWA to Gawler, Yorke Peninsula to Yankalilla, Port Adelaide players spread far and wide on Tuesday for the club’s annual regional day.
Players visited 33 schools, engaging with more than 7000 students throughout the day, and sharing with them messages about healthy lifestyles and respect.
The club visited fire affected regions of the Adelaide Hills and is planning another trip there in March along with a visit to Kangaroo Island soon after.
Tuesdays visits were part of the Community Youth Program, which is in its 21st year after being the brainchild of club legend Russell Ebert.
Players used the day to encourage children to make positive and healthy lifestyle choices around what they eat and drink, how active they are and how much sleep they get.
Tuesday saw players travel a total of 2278km on the day, each getting to three schools.
Two groups, which visited high schools, shared important messages about respectful relationships, delivered as part of the club’s Power To End Violence Against Women program.
General Manager – Power Community Limited, Ross Wait said it was an important day on the club calendar.
“We get to plenty of schools during the year, but they’re mostly within metropolitan Adelaide so it’s nice to spread ourselves out a bit more and see some places and people that we don’t get to as often as we would like,” he said.
“Last year we got to 15 schools on regional day so we’ve really stepped it up by visiting more than 30 in 2020.
“We’ve covered more than 2000kms and seen around 7000 students so it’s a massive day, but our players love it.”
While the messages were important, students particularly enjoyed getting autographs from their favourite players and taking photos with them at the end of the session.
The players will return to training on Wednesday as the club gears up for its intra-club hit-out at Alberton Oval on Friday evening.
