Sixteen junior football clubs across Perth received a special visit last Wednesday evening, when players from the West Coast Eagles attended their training sessions.
The entire 47-man West Coast Eagles squad broke up into small groups to attend each junior football club training session to promote junior football and assist the coaches.
The players also signed autographs and handed out posters to the enthusiastic young boys.
The star-struck junior players from each club couldn’t believe the opportunity they received as they were able to have close contact with some of Western Australia’s most esteemed footballers.
The West Coast Eagles players were just as excited to have such an important impact with the developing juniors and able to spur them on toward their football goals.
Ben McKinley joined teammates Nic Naitanui, Adam Hunter and Brent Staker at the Upper Swan Junior Football Club’s training session which saw 140 young boys demonstrate their skills in front of the game’s greats.
McKinley really enjoyed the experience and was able to pass on some helpful hints to some of the club’s young footballers.
“It’s really great opportunity that we have been given here tonight to support and encourage football development because we all began at this level and it’s really important to have positive influences during this junior football phase,” said McKinley.
“At this stage in a young footballer’s life, it’s very easy to give it up, but if we want to see the continued development and improvement of AFL players and the game, then making sure that we positively influence these kids will only strengthen the game down the road.”