World Footy News

The following press release from the AFLNT looks at the development of an exciting new footballing initiative for school aged players who wish to consider Australian Rules football as a personal development pathway. The Batchelor Area School is in the town of Batchelor located almost 100 kilometres south of Darwin.

NAB AFL Auskick Ambassador Shane Crawford, NT Thunder Head Coach Xavier Clarke along with Department of Education CEO Ken Davies, will today unveil the newest AFL Northern Territory's initiative at Batchelor Area School, announcing them as the first of many AFLNT Future Leaders Football Schools within the Northern Territory.

"We hope it will be the first of many in the NT," said AFLNT Game Development Manager Adam Moedt.

"It an incredibly exciting concept developed to promote positive behaviours and the future leaders program will extend into the formidable new Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre development at TIO Stadium."

The AFLNT FLFS Program focuses on all areas of academic achievement in order for participants to take part in key AFLNT Programs as a reward. The primary objectives are attendance, behaviour, academic and retention at school over the entire school year and subsequent years through to year twelve.

"Without consistent attendance week by week year by year academic achievement and positive behavioural change will be extremely difficult to achieve and we see this program as an opportunity to change the trajectory of the students at Batchelor Area School," said Batchelor Area School Principal Ryan Martin,who becomes the first school to sign his school up for the AFLNT FLFS Program.

"The outcomes stretch well beyond the classroom, developing vital character traits such as respect, responsibility and resilience.  Already students are indicating to us that this program has huge potential with many students attending each training session.  The beauty of the AFLNT's approach is that it is inclusive of all students across our school and that is why I am so excited about the potential of the Future Leaders Football School in Batchelor."

AFLNT will engage regularly with schools over a number of performance based initiatives so that the school continues to receive the ongoing support to ensure outcomes are reached.

"This will be achieved by weekly training sessions, engagement activities and events along with the provision of AFL School education resources and the AFLNT School Participation program," said Moedt.

"We are hoping that Batchelor Area School will be first of many in the Northern Territory to take up this new program of which we have had interest from many schools throughout the NT”

Media are invited to attend the event from 12pm-2pm, Tuesday 1 April, 2014, at Batchelor Area School, Batchelor.

CEO of the NT Education Department Ken Davies along with, Xavier Clarke and Shane Crawford will all be in attendance at the launch.