It has been another massive year for AFL Queensland school programs for the Darling Downs with a 21% increase in participants participating in 6 week or greater programs.
From Toowoomba to Dalby and north to Kingaroy, east to the Lockyer Valley and everywhere in between students from across the region have had a taste of our great game. From Intra-School to interschool competitions and program's students picked up Australian Football very quickly.
Highlights from 2013 included
DD saw a 25% increase in school Teacher Ambassadors, hitting a new record with 60 teachers across the region becoming an AFL Queensland School Ambassador. Rodney Spain of St Joseph's College in Toowoomba and Matthew Russell from Withcott State School took out their respective competitions as the leading school teachers in the region.
A number of schools from across the region ran their own intra-school competitions including powerhouse schools Toowoomba Grammar, Downlands College and Withcott State School.
Withcott State School has the longest running intra-school competition, into its fifth year in 2013 the competition has gone from strength to strength. The program is completely run by students in Grades 5 and 6 including umpiring, field set up, statistic recording along with their very own journalists. This year the competition was won by Phoenix Allstars by a slender 10% over the Rough 'N' Tough Blues.
Year 7 teacher and 2013 Primary School Ambassador of the Year Matthew Russell is the key driver behind the success of AFL at Withcott and has been delighted with the development of the students.
"The way the program is devised allows the students to take responsibility and ownership of the program and it gives different skills, especially the umpires, to those on the duty teams." Russell told AFLDD
Russell also added,"The program teaches the children the basics of the game and it is great to see the development of the skills and attitude as the program progresses."
Regional Manager Keith Webb was pleased with 2013 and said that 2014 bigger plans were in place to have school footy running right across the region.
"It has been a great 2013 but we are planning to expand further in 2014, with school programs planned for each of our 12 football clubs", Webb said.
"21% increase has been fantastic but we will again look for a similar figure again next year."
If you are a school student or teacher and want to know how your school can get involved in AFLQ programs please give the AFL office a call (07) 46322994 or email Development Coordinator Jeff - Jeff.Neumann@aflq.com.au
PHOTO: Withcott State School students help celebrate the end of another year.
Last Modified on 09/12/2013 10:10
