Whilst the adults enjoyed the racing at the Bendigo Cup, the children rubbed shoulders with some of the finest football players to come out of the region at the AFL Fun Zone football clinic.
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The clinic was held by Active Attitudes, an organisation which delivers sports & wellness clinics to children throughout Australia.
Active Attitudes managing director Jordan Doering, who is a former Bendigo Pioneers, Bendigo Bombers and Carlton Football Club player, said junior participation was essential for the future of the sport.
“It’s important to teach children the fundamentals of AFL at a young age, but also any sport,” Doering said.
“Our programs teach them new skills which help them build their ability to participate in sports and also build confidence in themselves.
“We want them to get involved in sport and above all, have some fun.”
Doering followed his passion of teaching children about sport participation by launching Active Attitudes in 2017, after gaining decades of experience within the sports industry.
Bendigo Pioneers mid-fielder Jye Caldwell, AFLW Brisbane Lions star Bella Ayre, AFL Western Bulldogs forward Fergus Greene and Collingwood Football Club player Adam Treloar were present at the Fun Zone to show the children a few footy moves.
Greene said while he was growing up, sport was “everything”.
“My brother and I used to play footy in the backyard until there were tears,” Greene laughed.
“It’s good to see children here today giving it a go.”
Treloar said junior sport participation was a great outlet for children and a pathway to living a healthy lifestyle.
“If children get active from a young age and involved with sport, it can help with their growth as they get older,” Treloar said.
Ayre was pleased to see that young girls now had more pathways to become AFLW players.
“Women’s footy hasn’t really been that big and to now see young girls running around with a footy in their hands is great,” Ayre said.
“When I was younger I was playing with the boys and it’s fantastic that girls have so many avenues to get involved with the sport now.”
Ayre is more than confident she has recovered from knee surgery undertaken in 2017 and is only a few weeks away from commencing pre-season training in Queensland.
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