By AFLQ Media
An appearance from Brisbane Lions duo Archie Smith and Oscar McInerney helped mark the end of the AFL Queensland Many Cultures Program in the Logan area on Tuesday afternoon.
The pair joined 20 students from surrounding schools at Gould Adams Park in Kingston to celebrate the sixth and final session.
Together, Smith and McInerney joined forces with the students as they faced off against their parents and AFL Queensland staff in a social game of Australian Rules football – a culmination of everything they had learnt across the program.
In the prior five weeks, students – all from culturally diverse backgrounds – learned the skills and rules of Australian Rules football and participated in interactive games.
The Many Cultures Program aimed at exposing both boys and girls in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades and from culturally diverse backgrounds to the sport in a fun and safe environment.
After honing their skills throughout the program, it was the students who prevailing in the modified game against the adults as they booted several goals through the inflatable goal face; each one met with a chorus of cheers.
Following the program, students were involved in a question and answers session with Smith and McInerney and received their own AFL Queensland Diversity Programs training shirt and special prizes from the Brisbane Lions.
AFL Queensland Diversity Coordinator – Talent Peter Yagmoor hailed the program as a success.
“We hoped to give many kids from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to try out sport and to have fun with their friends, and to see 20 kids down here every week giving their best was great,” Yagmoor said.
“Across the program, the kids’ skills improved significantly and highlights the buy-in to the program by both the participants and their parents.
The program was also run and administered by Multicultural Youth Queensland (MYQ), who provided the catering and facilities for the program.
MYQ representative Brendon Stanton was pleased with the program and said interest for another was already gaining legs.
“This program has been great so thank you to AFL Queensland for making this program possible.”
“Many of the parents have been asking me if it will be continuing which tells me that they as well as their children enjoyed the program.”
