A group of young Pipalyatjara boys from the APY Lands were at the club yesterday as part of a school exchange and trialled the footballs with Crows onballer Richard Tambling.
Each year in the last week of September the Adelaide Crows send a group of players and community development staff to the APY Lands to spend time with the community teaching them the skills of AFL and educating them about lifestyle topics.
It is just one facet of the Adelaide Football Club’s on-going fostership program with the APY Lands which has been in place since 2008
Through the program the Club is aiming to make a difference to the lifestyle of people living in the APY Lands through football.
The program involves coaching, training and lifestyle programs specifically this year teaching the community about the very important health message "My Eye Health".
In July this year Crows indigenous players joined forces with the Sight for All organisation to film a music video called Eyes with local singer Caper which will be used throughout the APY Lands to promote eye hygiene.
Click here to view the music clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGElYlCCtME
Eye hygiene is a significant health problem in the APY Lands with a large number of adults suffering from trachoma due to poor eye health as children.
Below are some key tips that the Adelaide Crows will be including in their messages this year:
Follow these easy tips to keep your eyes healthy
Keep your glasses safe
Your glasses belong to you and are made especially for your eyes, so look after them and they won’t get broken!
Talk to your coach to make sure they won’t fall off during the game. Off the field, keep your glasses on or put them in a safe
place when you’re not wearing them.
Take care of your eyes with a cool pair of sunnies that have 100 per cent UV protection (ask mum or dad if you don’t know what that means).
Healthy Eating Fun with the Traffic-Light System
It’s easy to choose foods that are good for your eyes, just think of the colours in a traffic light!
Green vegies are the best for your eyes, then orange coloured vegies then red vegies. The darker the colour the better the vegies are for your eyes. And remember, if you don’t have fresh vegies, canned and frozen are also good for you.
Clean faces, strong eyes
Sometimes footy can get pretty messy! If your hands or face are dirty, wash them with clean water.
Get your eyes checked
An eye check-up is a great way to make sure your eyes are healthy and strong. Lots of people can check your eyes - an eye doctor, an optometrist, or the local health worker.
If you would like the My Eye Health Program to come to your school to teach you and your friends more about how to take care of your eyes, please ask mum or dad, or your teacher to call the My Eye Health Program on 8223 6222 or email: mail@myeyehealth.org.au
