GIRLS KICK NEW GOAL
AFL PLANS FEMALE CAMPUS
GIRLS in remote Cape York communities may soon have access to the same sport and education opportunity afforded to their brothers, with a push to open a second AFL House in Cairns.
Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni has inspected a site beside St Andrew’s Catholic College in Redlynch and backed plans to build an AFL Girls House.
“Between the State Government and (Cairns Regional Council) there is money and land on the table to get the project rolling,” he said.
“All that we need is for the Federal Government to lock in a commitment.”
It was music to Rick Hanlon’s ears.
The AFL Cape York regional manager dreamt up with the idea of using the sport as a vehicle to get Cape York boys into education 16 years ago, finally getting AFL House off the ground in 2013.
Adjusting to life in the city can be tough for shy kids from places like Horn Island, but if they stick with the program it pays off.
Of the 18 boys who have graduated the program, seven are now in university, seven are in fulltime employment and the rest have gone back to their communities.
“Give me a community champion before you give me an AFL champion, that’s for sure,” Mr Hanlon said.
“We want someone who’s going to be a good role model for their community and inspire kids and their families.”
The rising popularity of women’s AFL has opened up an opportunity to extend the program to girls.
North Cairns Tigers ruck Sodyla Kris is at the forefront of women’s league and regularly visits remote Queensland communities to run footy programs with the boys.
“Having that new women’s league, it gives every girl and every woman something to look forward to,” she said.
“It’s inspiring just knowing there’s equality around AFL and these new opportunities for girls. “We use AFL as a tool. “It just brings them into our program. Once we have them, we can deliver education and help develop them into young men and women.”
The council has bought a large tract of land with plans to build a new sporting precinct in Redlynch.
The proposed AFL Girls House would be placed next to the fields and in an ideal spot only a few minutes’ walk from the school.