Children get up close to sport stars
Onslow School students were taken through a series of sessions by sport stars last month.
The Wirrpanda Foundation sent 12 mentors as part of the Wirra Club Program to take students aged from five to 16 through a range of activities, including boxing, Aussie Rules, basketball, leadership, netball, athletics, art and jewellery.
The mentors included formerAFL footballers Troy Cook, Andrew Krakouer and Dale Kickett, netball representatives Josie Janz and Julia Wackrow, and Asad Hosseini, who is ranked second nationally in athletics.
Sessions involved drills, games, matches, problem-solving and teamwork.
Ms Janz said the students really enjoyed the sessions.
"They mostly looked forward to jewellery-making as they were excited about designing something that they could wear and take home with them at the end of the day," she said.
"There's already some great stuff happening in the community with the V-Swans running the after-school program at the recreation centre … Onslow has a real sense of community and it was important for us to be able to work with those existing partnerships and relationships that are happening in the community."
The teachers at the school said attendance rates had improved because of the visit.
Mr Kickett said he felt they had left the school a happier place.
"Small country towns like Onslow don't have the same access to profiled sporting role models or leaders in our communities who can come in just to have a bit of fun as a reward for the hard work the children put in at school," he said.
The foundation also hosted a community barbecue where the whole town was invited to enjoy a sausage sizzle.
Mr Cook said the community feedback had been great.
"Having their children share, listen, interact and receive goal- setting advice from the mentors is important for their development," he said.
"Especially hearing the teachers say the kids love us being there and they look forward to us coming to their community. "It was great for … mentors and the students interacting together, sharing personal experiences, offering guidance for the future and most importantly enjoying themselves."
