Regional wrap: Central West
It’s been another successful year for football in the Central West region, headlined by the second annual tour by the Greater Western Sydney team at the end of July.
The Central West tour kicked off in style with AFL NSW/ACT General Manager Tom Harley speaking to local media and committing to continuous investment and resources for the Central West region.
The team covered more than 6000km across the region and held visits and activities in Dubbo, Parkes, Wellington, Mudgee, Orange, Gulgong, Bathurst, Lithgow and Portland during the week-long tour.
School clinics and talent combines were conducted in 27 schools with over 8000 students and a modified version of the combine was held with secondary school students in Dubbo and Parkes.
Over 120 Auskickers participated in the NAB AFL Auskick Superclinic held in conjunction with Mudgee Black Swans and every child received an invitation to any of the seven NAB AFL Community Auskick Centres across the region.
20 teacher ambassadors, Charles Sturt University students and High School students attended a Level 1 Coaching Course in Bathurst and coaching sessions with the Dubbo Demons were conducted by GWS Talent and Coaching Manager Mick Clift.
Meetings were held with senior officers of Dubbo, Parkes, Mid Western and Orange councils and an inspection of Wade Park, Orange was held in conjunction with the GWS Giants.
An AFL 9s carnival for athletes with an intellectual disability was conducted and and an ‘introduce AFL’ program held with members of the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA) in Dubbo.
Injured GWS Giants star Setanta O’Hailpin visited eight schools in Dubbo, Wellington, Gulgong and Mudgee.
GWS Giants Chief Operating Officer Richard Griffiths visited Orange and Bathurst and presented a guest lecture to students of Charles Sturt University at the Bathurst Campus.
There were also partnership discussions and events held with Netball NSW, NASCA and the Special Education Unit of the Western School Sports Association.
The tour received extensive media coverage in The Daily Liberal in Dubbo, the Mudgee Guardian, Parkes’ Champion Post and on Prime 7, WIN and Star FM in Orange and Dubbo.
The team braved cold weather and long days but the tour was a huge success and AFL NSW/ACT would like to recognise Nigel Cunningham, Pete Yandle, Stephen Baker and Jim Perrett for their devotion to this project.
