WESTERN Australia’s top AFL School Ambassadors were rewarded at a special dinner function at Subiaco Oval last week, with the best footy-promoting teachers receiving trips to the AFL Grand Final.
Fremantle Football Club’s Anthony Morabito and West Coast’s Brad Sheppard were on hand to present the awards at the Celebration of AFL Education Programs in WA Dinner last Wednesday, August 11.
Major awards, including trips to the AFL Grand Final, were presented to the AFLSA who has demonstrated the most outstanding service for 5 years or more (supported by Scout Entertainment), as well as the most outstanding Ambassador for 2010 (supported by BHP Billiton Iron Ore – Principal community partner of the West Coast Eagles).
The event was also attended by Minister for Sport Hon Terry Waldron, WAFC Chairman Frank Cooper, Commissioner Jeanette Hacket and Hall of Fame Legend Barry Cable, with David Sierakowski from Scout Entertainment & Emma Mackie from the West Coast Eagles representing BHP Billiton Iron Ore.
As well as the fantastic major awards, two other terrific footy ambassadors received AFL Finals trips to the MCG for being the most outstanding Primary and High School Footy teachers supported by the AFL through their AFL Schools Manager, Mark Riddiford.
Another four teachers were recognized as the most outstanding First Year Ambassador or for conducting outstanding Remote/Indigenous, Female or Multicultural AFL school programs. These teachers will all be guests of the WAFC at the WAFL Grand Final.
In addition all competition-winning school teams were acknowledged for their wins in the great state-wide school competitions including Smarter than Smoking Schoolgirls’ Cup winners John Septimus Roe (Moore Division), Corpus Christi (White Division) and Katanning SHS (VanderWiede Division).
Belt Up Cup winners included Governor Stirling SHS (Cable Division), Carine SHS (Jakovich Division) and Albany SHS (Walker Division), while Hale School won the PSA Alcock Cup. The Burley Sekem Design a Jumper Competitions were won by Kensington Primary (metro) and Yerecoin Primary (country).
Colin West, WAFC General Manager – Education & Development said the awards night was a great way to acknowledge the success of AFL programs in WA schools, which have achieved not only significant growth of 20% or 20,000 participants in the last two years, but also very importantly impacted on student learning especially in the key areas of literacy and numeracy.
“These important outcomes have been generated by the passion and commitment of our terrific AFL School Ambassadors in partnership with our WAFL Smarter than Smoking District & Regional development staff. This prestigious dinner function provided an opportunity to recognize and reward the very best of our Ambassadors and celebrate our terrific programs and competitons,” Mr West said.
MAJOR AWARDS
Outstanding Service Award - (5 years or more of Service)
Rick Payne – Weld Square Primary
Prize: Trip for 2 to the AFL Grand Final – sponsored by SCOUT Entertainment
Rick has been AFLSA since 2005. He has also been Primary School representative for the East Perth District since 2006 and advises the district on all primary school educational football issues. He is an outstanding ambassador and actively engages his students in all aspects AFL learning and participation programs.
AFL School Ambassador of the Year
Stephen Thomson – Comet Bay College
Prize: Trip for 2 to the AFL Grand Final – sponsored by BHP BILLITON Iron Ore
Steve is the Founder and Coordinator of the Comet Bay Football Specialist Program. This position is highly valued by the College for the benefits attained for students. He loves football and has a passion to see his students achieve academically and enjoy participating in our great game.
Outstanding Primary AFL School Ambassador
Anthony Middleton – Nollamara Primary
Prize: Trip for 2 to an AFL Semi-Final – sponsored by SCOUT Entertainment
Anthony is always giving up his own time to promote football at his school. He conducts before school AFL clinics for the diverse multicultural students at his school, consistently having over 100 IEC (Intensive English Centre) and mainstream students joining in his weekly Nab AFL AUSKICK clinics. Anthony's love for the game shows in the way he works with all of the students in the school, not just his own class.
Outstanding Secondary AFL School Ambassador
Justin Burt – Wanneroo SHS
Prize: Trip for 2 to an AFL Semi-Final – sponsored by SCOUT Entertainment
Justin has continued to provide excellent opportunities for students with a particular focus on strengthening female football within the district. Justin’s current football program allows students at Wanneroo SHS to study AFL as a subject, covering a range of football specific topics and providing opportunities for lower students to travel to three rural WA centres and interstate for senior school students.
SPECIAL AWARDS
Outstanding 1st Year AFL School Ambassador
Rhani Green – All Saints College
Prize: 2 tickets in a Corporate Box at the WAFL Grand Final
Rahni has been an outstanding supporter of Australian Rules Football since she arrived at All Saints. In 2010, she became an Ambassador and took much pride in continuing to spread the message about Football throughout the College. It is difficult to find a more enthusiastic AFL teacher who by her own admission did not know the game that well a few years ago.
Outstanding Female AFL School Ambassador Program
Oliver Beath – All Saints College
Prize: 2 tickets in a Corporate Box at the WAFL Grand Final
Oliver takes the role of AFL School Ambassador very seriously and has been instrumental in implementing many successful strategies to engage girls in the game. This year he has mentored a younger member of his staff, encouraged her to get involved in AFL programs & to become a School Ambassador. He obviously did a great job as she is a finalist tonight.
Outstanding Remote / Indigenous AFL School Ambassador Program
Dan Lynch – Parnngurr Community School
Prize: 2 tickets in a Corporate Box at the WAFL Grand Final
As Principal of one of the most remote Indigenous schools in the nation and a keen player and supporter of AFL, Dan found his passion for football was invaluable in encouraging his footy-mad children, teenagers and parents to get excited about education. The parents say “Dan is different because he shares something that is important to us. He loves AFL footy and so do we.”
Outstanding Multicultural AFL School Ambassador Program
Vicki Keys – Cannington Community College
Prize: 2 tickets in a Corporate Box at the WAFL Grand Final
Vicki has made an outstanding contribution to the Health and Physical Education programs at two schools. She transferred from Queens Park Primary where she had been the Eagles Cup organizer to the K-Yr 10 Cannington Community College in 2008 and became an Ambassador. Her persistent enthusiasm has energized football at all levels at the college & has been especially successful in engaging girls in AFL programs.
