Children of all abilities will have a chance to have a kick of the footy at an All-Abilities Auskick come and try session in Ocean Grove.
Auskick is a non-contact variant of Australian Rules football designed to teach basic skills to boys and girls aged between five and 12.
Scott Smith, junior club coordinator down the road at Newcomb Power Football & Netball Club, has been providing Auskick opportunities for All-Abilities for three years now.
On Sunday February 26, he will introduce the program to Ocean Grove.
“What we do with All-Abilities Auskick is not too different from mainstream, we just have to be more flexible and adapt the program to suit all abilities,” he said.
“For instance, we know some kids won’t make it through a whole session, but if they turn up and participate for some of the time then that’s great, we’re happy.
“Like one boy we have at Newcomb who really struggled early on. We worked with him, and his mum, to adapt how we did things to support his participation. The cold weather gave us some real challenges, but footy is a winter sport so we can’t do anything about the cold.
“So this kid wore gloves to keep his hands warm outside and when it rained and the group moved inside, he put on his earmuffs to dampen the noise. We just work together, face each new set of challenges as they come and adapt. Each kid is different, so we work with them individually to make it work.
“The great thing about giving these kids a chance to play is what they learn about working as a team, learning to share, and taking turns. This stuff really helps them off the field as well.”
The free event is at Ocean Grove Memorial Reserve on Sunday February 25 from 10am to 11am.
MEANWHILE, Ocean Grove Cobras Junior Football Club will hold a Gala Day on Sunday March 5 at Collendina Reserve from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.
New and existing families are encouraged to attend the event for a sausage sizzle, mouthguard fittings and a kick of the footy on the oval.
