Wallsend leap to unique GIANTS experience

The Wallsend District Swans Football Club are celebrating after winning an exclusive coaching experience with the GWS GIANTS Football Club thanks to the FOX FOOTY Club Rewards program.

The Swans, who host teams in the Hunter Junior AFL competition, today visited the GWS GIANTS Learning Life Centre training facilities for an experience hosted by the GIANTS head coach, Leon Cameron, and his coaching staff.

The experience saw two club representatives from the Swans hosted by Cameron and senior assistant coach, Alan McConnell, for a tour of the facilities and informative coaching seminar.
Wallsend carry out their mission of being an inclusive and community-orientated club by actively encouraging and teaching the game of Australian Rules Football to the children and families of the western Newcastle Area.

The club supports and sponsors several local indigenous players as well as players who come from the lower socio-economic areas to encourage them to focus on themselves, meanwhile teaching them the benefits of team work, health, fitness and friendship.

National Ambassador for the program and former St Kilda Football Club captain, Danny Frawley, said the program, in its second year of running, continues to reward local clubs with opportunities to learn from the AFL’s elite personnel.

“Local sporting clubs are at the heart of local communities all over Australia and it is fantastic to have organisation such as Foxtel continue to invest at the level where it all begins for so many our AFL players. Hopefully the experiences they undertake as part of the program ensures they continue to grow and develop as a football club and as a strong hold presence in their local community,” Frawley said.

GWS GIANTS head coach, Leon Cameron, who began his football career at a grassroots level with the South Warnambool Football Club in the Hampden Football League, said local football clubs are the backbone of the community.

“Grassroots clubs have an enormous role to play for their local town and its members, so we’re delighted to help reward the Wallsend District Swans Football Club for their community support,” Cameron said.

“By giving them behind the scenes access of a professional AFL club’ coaching staff, the aim will be to have these visiting clubs go away with an understanding of the levels of professionalism, education into the latest analysis that goes into the game and insight into the culture that shapes an elite club environment.”
Wallsend District Swans representative, Darren Bird, said the club was delighted to be recognised by the FOX FOOTY Club Rewards program for carrying out their on-field and off-field visions as a club.

“Our club is ecstatic to have been recognised by the FOX FOOTY Club Rewards program and we’re looking forward to the whole experience with the GIANTS. For us, it is testimony to a number of hard working club members who strive to create a community focused and inclusive club,” Bird said.

The FOX FOOTY Club Rewards program has so far rewarded over 60 local football clubs with the chance to hear from an elite AFL club’s coaching panel, visit an AFL club’s training facilities or experience an AFL club’s inner sanctum on match day.

Foxtel Director of Sports Marketing, Chantal Walker, said Foxtel was pleased to continue a partnership with the AFL Coaches Association and FOX FOOTY to deliver to the grassroots clubs for their ongoing work to contribute to their community.

“It is important to recognise the football clubs that put activities or programs in place to say thank you to their local communities who support them at a grassroots level. We hope that these experiences will provide the clubs with a significant benefit to continue to their great work,” said Walker.

For more information on the FOX FOOTY Club Rewards program, visit http://www.foxtel.com.au/foxfootyclubrewards