Over the past few months, West Coast Eagles' Community and Game Development staff - alongside AFL and AFLW players - have had the opportunity to visit several regional townships under the umbrella of the Youth Engagement partnership with BHP.

These West Coast Eagles visits have provided access to role models - including AFL captain Luke Shuey and AFLW senior leader Parris Laurie - in areas including, but not limited to, Port Hedland (Kariyarra), Newman (Nyiyarparli/Martu), and Kalgoorlie (Wangkatja).

Through these visits, the West Coast Eagles and BHP are committed to enhancing existing youth engagement programs and relationships, as well as promoting the importance of education and healthy lifestyles across Western Australia.

Below is a series of photos taken across the West Coast Eagles’ nine role model visits in 2021, along with the stories behind them.

AFLW ruck and senior leader Parris Laurie presenting the Eagles Rock My School program in Warralong, a remote Aboriginal Community south east of Port Hedland.

"It was so rewarding getting to spend time with the local kids from Strelley Community School in Warralong, playing footy in bare feet on the red dirt was a unique experience for me and it was incredible to see footy played in such a pure form," Laurie said.

A young girl puts on her West Coast Eagles socks in preparation for a match of football played on the Warralong Community Oval. The temperature in the Pilbara can reach high forties in the summer months but this doesn't deter the children from playing football on the red dirt at their local community oval.

The West Coast Eagles team delivered the Eagles Rock My School program to Strelley Community School in Warralong, the oldest continually operational Independent Aboriginal Community School in Australia. It commenced operation in 1976.

As part of the Eagles Rock My School program, a student takes to the Strelley Community School oval with his new West Coast Eagles footy.

West Coast Eagles' Youth Engagement Coordinator Clint Degebrodt and AFLW ruck Parris Laurie support the Mirnukaru/Hedland Attendance Strategy. This initiative, led by the Hedland Aboriginal Strong Leaders, collects school attendees each morning and is a collaborative effort between the Department of Education, Youth Involvement Council, WA Police, BHP and Department of Communities.

AFL captain Luke Shuey attended the Pilbara Spirit Carnival to promote water safety in conjunction with Royal Lifesaving Society WA.

"It was a great day for all nine schools involved in this years' carnival, and I'd like to give a special shoutout to Royal Lifesaving Society WA for their work in promoting water safety to kids in the Pilbara," Shuey said.

"I was stoked to be a part of it, and the trip as a whole."

Mikayla Bowen and Charlie Thomas actively supported the Pilbara Spirit Carnival - alongside Shuey - handing out winner's ribbons as well as helping judges on the day.

"It was a great opportunity for me as a new draftee to spend time in the community with the captain of our AFL team," Thomas said.

"The club's community-driven culture is something that strongly appealed to me before getting drafted, and it was fantastic to experience this first-hand."

Luke Shuey gives two thumbs up at the Youth Involvement Council's Deadly Hearts Program. The skipper spent the day at the drop-in youth centre for children ages five-to-eleven, which provides a range of recreational, educational, sporting and diversionary activities across after-school programs.

2021 AFLW All-Australian squad member Mikyala Bowen gets tackled in a football game at the Youth Involvement Council in South Hedland.

"It was a fantastic experience to be able to help out for the day and play some footy at the Deadly Hearts program," Bowen said.

"The Youth Involvement Council helps bring positivity to these children's lives and I think that's just such a great initiative.

"I hope I was able to bring some positivity to their lives too, I know they did to mine."

The Eagles trio attended the Pilbara Sports Academy to run hand-eye coordination drills and give an insight into life as a professional athlete.

Through the work of Youth Engagement Coordinator Clint Degebrodt, the Academy has expanded together with the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries to create further opportunities for young athletes in the Pilbara (specifically in Hedland).

In Hedland, the Academy has gone from three participants, to over 15 regular attendees who run through a range of high quality strength and conditioning training regimes and wellbeing workshops on a weekly basis.

Clint Degebrodt baits up a line during a Wirraka Maya Health Service social and health outreach program.

The Wirraka Maya Health Service Aboriginal Corporation provides culturally-appropriate support to Aboriginal people in the Port Hedland, South Hedland and surrounding communities.