Wallabies hop to it
Champions help teens
AUSTRALIAN champions have joined the battle to keep Townsville’s troubled teenagers on the right path.
Wallabies players joined soldiers from Townsville’s 3rd Brigade at Pallarenda on Thursday for a Proud Warrior session focused on building teamwork, resilience and courage.
Major Trevor Williams said Proud Warrior had been running for almost a year, attracting more than 120 children from across the region who had come into contact with the youth justice system.
“The program is designed to positively influence at-risk youths … and (aims) to teach them positive life skills through a number of military and sporting activities,” Major Williams said.
“We teach them teamwork, social skills, which they can take forward and use in their normal civilian lives.”
Wallabies prop Scott Sio was at the centre of the action, running drills and coaching scratch matches with the participants.
Sio said he hoped the event helped guide the participants on the right path and remind them that at one point each of the players stood in their shoes.
He said the most important thing they could do was forge strong friendships and learn to trust those around them.
“I grew up in the inner west suburbs of Sydney. There has always been a history of troubled kids out those ways.
“It is obviously a pretty tough world out there. There are a lot of things that can tempt you in the wrong direction.
“Like anything in life, especially in a team sport, having a good support crew is important.”
Proud Warrior became a permanent fixture in Townsville’s arsenal to target youth crime in March following a five-month trial, which showed a drop in crime and notable behavioural changes in some participants.
Townsville Police Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said the program helped mend the tense relationship between these children and police.
“We understand as police that some kids will be reserved to talk to us because of that relationship we’ve had with them previously,” he said.
“It’s good the soldiers can do that and then when the kids feel more at ease they will then talk to police.
“What we are seeing is things like kids re-engaging with family, kids going back to school, kids going and getting part-time jobs.”