Local Auskickers hit the beach for new program

AFL NSW/ACT are excited to announce a new trial program, Beach Auskick. This new concept combines two of the local community’s favourite pastimes – sport and the beach.

The very first program of its kind started on Friday at Fingal Beach and has been an instant success with 50 boys and girls from ages 5 -10 registering for the program.

Craig Golledge, AFL NSW/ACT Development Manager for the Hunter/Central Coast region and the instigator of the program said, “We were very impressed with the numbers and watching so many children having fun on the sand kicking footies around, with huge smiles on their bright zinc covered faces was very pleasing.”

The newly designed program combines many aspects of the traditional Auskick program with beach themed activities as well as beach safety talks by the local Surf Life Saving Club. Even the AFL pack the participating children receive has an ocean theme to it with participants receiving their very own Auskick beach towel.

Golledge said Fingal Beach Surf Life Saving Club (FBSLSC) including President Brett Woods have been wonderful to work with. “Brett and the FBSLSC as well as volunteers from the local Nippers have been very supportive of the program and can obviously see the benefits of building a relationship between themselves and the local AFL community. Through this relationship we are hoping not only to boost player numbers for the local Nelson Bay Junior AFL club but also the local FBSLSC Nippers program.”

“Based on the success so far, we are hoping to have the program approved long term so we can not only continue to run it across our region but also to allow the entire coast of NSW to take advantage of such a fantastic program”.

For further information about local AFL clubs please visit www.play.afl or the Fingal Beach Surf Life Saving Club www.fingalbeachslsc.com