AFL aspirants put through paces

Local footballers with AFL dreams had the chance to show off their skills at a trial session for the Kimberley Spirit under-19s team on February 10.

In the first of five trial sessions across the Kimberley, newly appointed head coach Clint Ernst put the prospective players through their paces in the Broome heat at Father McMahon Oval.

Ernst said despite low numbers, the talent was impressive.

“I understand that some kids might not have been able to make it because of the rain, but the guys that were here look really eager and keen,” he said. “It certainly looks like a pretty good mix and it looks like they have been training and getting themselves ready for the Kimberley Spirit program and their local footy as well.

“We want to teach them some real basic things and we also want to teach them how we want to play against the Claremont Tigers colts in a couple of weeks time.”

Ernst was appointed under-19s coach late last year and has experience playing and coaching in the WAFL.

He said he would like to bring a level of professionalism to the team based on his experiences at East Perth Football Club and the WA under-18s team.

“Having worked at elite levels, I’ve got a good understanding of how the game’s played and how to teach the kids,” he said.

“It’s teaching the kids that a level of professionalism is needed and showing them a clear road map of how they can get there. But we also want to make sure they have a bit of fun and get a good experience with us, so they can look back on it and remember the good times they had at Kimberley Spirit.”

The Kimberley Spirit under-19s team is a part of the Kimberley Spirit football program, which is run across five regional hubs and provides a team for juniors aged 11 to 16. The regional hubs are in Broome, Kununurra, Fitzroy Valley, Halls Creek and Derby.

Program co-ordinator Shaun Norman said the Kimberley Spirit program provided players with opportunities to improve themselves on and off the field and gain opportunities to play at a higher level.

“We let players create links with higher levels of football through the Claremont Football Club and the Fremantle Dockers Next Generation Academy, which has only come into play this year,” he said.

“A really important aspect of the program is all about off-field development, including nutrition, education, mental wellbeing and career development.”

“Our goal is to help all of the players realise their potential to become leaders in their community and I think sport, especially in the Kimberley, can play an important role in that.”

The program has helped the likes of Joel Hamling, Francis Watson, Sam Petrevski-Seton and Bailey Banfield achieve their dreams of playing in the AFL.

This year’s selected players will go on a training camp during the Labour Day long weekend and participate in workshops before they take on the Claremont Tigers colts in a Kimberley Regional Service Providers Cup match in Kununurra on March 4.