League’s class acts at Yarrabah

The next generation of Yarrabah rugby league stars will be equipped for life on and off the field thanks to a local school launching an academy as part of the curriculum. Academy coordinator and Yarrabah State School teacher Peter Gavel said it made sense to make the sport more prominent in the students’ schooling. “It’s a rugby league-made community and we thought let’s use something they enjoy to increase their knowledge,” he said.

THE next generation of Yarrabah rugby league stars will be equipped for life on and off the field thanks to Yarrabah State School launching an academy as part of the curriculum.

Considering the desire to make rugby league part of the daily lives of people in the community, academy co-ordinator and teacher Peter Gavel said it made sense to make the sport more prominent in the students’ schooling.

“We sort of discussed it at the end of last year to set it up to sort of engage the kids a bit more and get them interested in school and a potential future and worked this year to get it off the ground,” he said.

“It’s a rugby league-mad community and the kids all play in the afternoons and on the weekend and we thought, let’s use something they enjoy to increase their knowledge.

“We do a theory component based on fitness and health and those kinds of things, and then we do practical training and skill development.”

Gavel said up to 40 students had expressed interest in the first intake of the program and they would need to maintain high standards to uphold the responsibility of their special uniforms.

“They’ve got to work hard,” he said.

“There’s expectations based around your attendance being a certain per cent, that you do your best, you’re following rules, but you’re also involved with community programs and fundraising and things like that. We’re really trying to work with the kids to set high expectations.”

Gavel is one of two teachers who have completed coaching qualification to run the academy, while a number of locally based groups, including Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service, offer services and donations.

“I think because it’s footy, they know how important it is to the community and it’s making positive differences for the students,” he said.

Picture: BRENDAN RADKE LIFE LESSONS: Yarrabah State School students Karliah Burns, Shaynee Keyes, Janet Brady, David Miller, Hezekiah Fourmile and John Allingham with rugby league program co-ordinators Luke Baker and Peter Gavel.