West Coast Eagles players Francis Watson and Kurt Mutimer recently travelled north to Western Australia’s Pilbara region in support of the club’s Kicking Goals program in the towns of Port Hedland and Newman.

The Kicking Goals program, supported by BHP, is collaboratively delivered by V Swans and the West Coast Eagles, providing active education for students from Years 7 to 12 at Hedland and Newman Senior High Schools.  

In Newman, Watson and schools and community coordinator James Grabski delivered a football clinic to Years 7-10 students on the town’s Capricorn Oval.

Fundamental skills were the focus of the day, with Watson how athletes are trained at the elite level.

Watson was impressed by the students’ engagement and their responsiveness to the advice and activities.

“I’ve had a really enjoyable day,” Watson said.

“The students and teachers were all really engaged in the sessions and quickly adopted some of the key points we had to share.”

The day culminated in a comprehensive Strength to Succeed Academy session for aspiring players in the region, which is linked to the West Coast Eagles’ Naitanui Academy.

Watson shared the ups and down of his journey to the West Coast Eagles from the remote Aboriginal community of Balgo in the East Kimberley to students hoping to follow his footsteps in the near future.

Further north, game development head coach Drew Petrie accompanied Mutimer had a jam-packed schedule in Port Hedland.

In addition to coordinating a curriculum-based practical sessions, Mutimer and Petrie spent time providing guidance to student leaders and joined the program’s ‘100 Club’ members for a luncheon to reward them for achieving a 100 per cent attendance rate for the program.

A Strength to Succeed Academy session followed, rounding out a fulfilling day for all involved.

The West Coast Eagles is grateful for the ongoing support of Principal Inclusion and Diversity partner BHP, which enables the Kicking Goals program to continue at both Newman and Hedland Senior High Schools.