RANCE LOOKS FOR GOLD CLASS

RICHMOND’S All-Australian defender Alex Rance is searching the footy stars of tomorrow for the founding class at his new Geelong footy school.

And his method is reminiscent of Willy Wonka in the Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but instead of a golden ticket to a chocolate factory, a golden footy could be a pathway to The Academy.

Last May the Addy revealed Rance would open the elite footy school’s second campus in Geelong next year.

The golden footy acts as a ticket to the scholarship testing day for The Academy, with the school looking for prospective students who are wellrounded.

Rance, pictured, said after receiving a golden footy, school staff could identify a student with potential who may be suitable for The Academy.

One hundred and fifty schools across the state — including in Geelong — are in the process of receiving the golden footballs.

Planning for the new Geelong campus is progressing really well, Rance said, with the city a particularly good fit as Geelong is “such a footyfocused town”.

The Academy already has a campus in Essendon, is an elite full-time college that provides an alternative to standard Year 11 and 12 schooling with a customised curriculum that is contextualised around AFL.

Its program will begin in Hamlyn Heights next year.

The Academy will be based within space owned by Western Heights College, but the schools will operate separately.

Students will graduate from The Academy with VCAL qualifications and pathways to tertiary institutions.

Rance founded The Academy with co-director Luke Surace three years ago.

The Academy Geelong campus is for boys only, and registrations are open for 25 Year 11 students to attend in 2020. While the Geelong school will replicate the Essendon model, partnerships within the community will be tailored to the region’s needs, Rance said.

“We always look to embed into the community,” Rance said. “We want to challenge the norms of education.”

Details about The Academy, and information on upcoming information sessions, can be found at theacademy.com.au