Regional Football Development Officer Tom McDonald spent the first week of the Easter School Holidays running Holiday Clinics and Coaching courses at the Emerald Eagles Football Club to promote and develop football in the region.

Tom ran an U8-13 Holiday Clinic through the AIA Miniroo’s Kickstart program which consisted of 4 sessions focusing on the 4 core football skills of Striking the Ball, Running with the Ball, First Touch and 1v1’s. “The kids clearly love football and showed great skill during the sessions” said Tom McDonald. “Emerald has a great set up and I can only see the game growing here”.

Tom also worked with the local coaches through the delivery of a Grassroots Coaching Course and a separate Coaching Workshop for Development Centre Coaches. When asked about the objective of the Development Centre workshops Tom McDonald said “I am looking to get U9-12 Development Centres up and running in all the main centres of CQ, including Rockhampton, Gladstone, Emerald and Biloela. The aim is to develop the players at a young age because it’s the prime time for learning motor skills. The program also allows me to provide support to coaches through Workshops such as these and resources through age specific session plans”.

Tom will next be heading out to Longreach in May, stopping off in Emerald to continue the development of Football in the CQ region.