Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy Manager, Lachlan Buszard and Academy Coaches, Ryan Houlihan and Chris Bryan ventured to Mt Austin High School in Wagga Wagga today to test the skills of seventy young students.
Watch the video in the GIANTS Video Gallery
The visit was part of the NAIFA Indigenous Athletic Assessment-High Performance Combine, which saw the students involved in some AFL High performance testing with the Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy coaches.
Another important aspect to the day was the work of Slater & Gordon’s National Pro Bono & Community Engagement Coordinator, Terry O’Riain and local Indigenous menotrs, Uncle Hewitt Whyman and Uncle Bob Egan who spoke to the students about the importance of staying in school as well as engaging in local sport.
Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy Manager, Lachlan Buszard said the day was an amazing success.
“Today has given us the opportunity for seventy kids to be exposed to our club and our game and it has allowed us to complete some high performance testing and we have seen some great results” said Buszard.
“The kids we tested today are still some years away from getting to the stage where they can become AFL players, but we would like to think that with our programs in the Murray and Riverina, we can really develop these young players and give them the best opportunity to play for the GIANTS”.
Buszard said an important message to come from the event was that students see the importance of becoming involved in sport.
“Sport provides these young students with structure and framework and they can learn life lessons from their involvement. With Slater & Gordon coming on board as a partner in our Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy, we can show these students the importance of finishing school and becoming involved in sport, and with the work of NAIFA and local Indigenous mentors like Uncle Hewitt Whyman and Uncle Bob Egan, I know the right steps are being taken” said Buszard.
Slater & Gordon Academy Coach, Ryan Houlihan echoed the words of Buszard and said the day was about not only enjoyment but also education.
“We have had a really good turnout today, the kids really enjoyed themselves despite the heat and they tested really well. There were a few quick kids out there today who ran under three seconds for the twenty-metre sprint, which is phenomenal. The kids really loved it; it was a great sight to see them all in their GIANTS gear and having fun. Growing up sport was a huge factor in my life and allowed me to meet a lot of friends, and it really made me the person I am today so its very important to have that balance in life and that structure around sport, it keeps you fit, healthy and happy so its really important.” said Houlihan.
