Thrills & skills

The next generation of footy players had a special opportunity to learn from some of the big names in WA football when former and current AFL and AFLW players visited Broome.

The Wirrpanda Foundation last Thursday hosted a special football clinic at Father McMahon Oval, where footballers of all ages had the chance to hone their skills with help from former Fremantle Dockers Troy Cook and Dale Kickett, ex-West Coast Eagles WAFL player Brady Grey and West Coast AFLW players Alicia Janz, Cassie Davidson and Imahra Cameron.

While children engaged in skills workshops, ranging from kicking and handballing to tackling and dodging obstacles, with Grey, Kickett and Cook, WKFL women’s league young guns got tips and advice from Janz, Davidson and Cameron.

Cook said he thought the clinic had a great turnout considering the traditional WKFL season did not go ahead this year. “It was great to come up and get the word out to the community that we’re here to have a kick around,” he said. “The Wirrpanda Foundation has been established in Broome for a while now with its Deadly Sista Girlz program at St Mary’s College, which has been greatly supported.

“For us to build that presence up here in the Kimberley and showcase what some of us had been doing a long time ago was a great opportunity. It’s nice to get away from the freezing cold in Perth for a little bit.”

The group had also been on hand to watch students take part in an interschool sports carnival, along with the annual Deadly Sista Girlz football carnival, featuring female students from Broome Senior High School, St Mary’s College, Beagle Bay, Derby and Bidyadanga.

Cameron also stuck around to give watch participants at Garnduwa’s Making Her Mark football carnival on Saturday.