The Gold Coast SUNS shared a few of their secrets with local students, as their Australia Post Community Camp kicked off.
Groups of players visited local students, giving them tips and advice as well as answering a few of their questions.
Jack Leslie, Alex Sexton and Danny Stanley headed out to Boronia Heights State School, giving almost 300 kids a chance to try footy.
After learning to kick and handball, the kids had the chance to ask the players any question they liked, ranging from what numbers they wore to how many days they trained.
Sexton, who played football with Springwood when he first moved to Queensland, said it was a great chance to be back in his neck of the woods.
“It’s good to be back here and giving back to the community where I started playing footy seriously,” he said.
“It’s great to see the kids out of their comfort zones, kicking the footy.
“You see the younger girls and boys that don’t really get involved in sport having a crack and that’s great.”
“It’s great to see the smiles on their faces when we get out here.”
There were plenty of talented youngsters on the oval during the half-hour sessions, involving students from years 3-7, Sexton said.
“I saw a couple of guns out there kicking the footy,” he said.
“Even the girls… I reckon some of the girls were kicking it better than the boys.”
Boronia Heights PE teacher, Ben Ellis, said it was a real thrill for the kids to have the GC SUNS players down to visit.
“It’s massive to have the players down here and the kids love it,”he said.
With a number of Boronia Heights students moving on to AFL Queensland School of Excellence, Park Ridge State High School, Ellis said the game of AFL was starting to really gain in poopularity.
“A lot of the kids, particularly in year 6 and 7, aspire to be a part of that so they start seriously thinking about footy,” he said.
“The Gold Coast is just down the road, we ant to help support our aspiring stars at the SUNS as well.”
The Gold Coast SUNS Community Camp runs today and tomorrow, in the Beenleigh and Logan areas.
