The Spring SPRING Valley Primary School could become an unlikely breeding ground for future Australian Rules footballers.
The school has fielded a team in the local primary schools competition for the first time in 12 years. The team has won seven of its eight games to qualify for tomorrow’s (Friday) grand final against top team Springvale West.
The 19 players who represent the Spring Valley Knights come from 12 nonEnglish speaking backgrounds.
Their coach, grade six teacher Matthew Ware, said 90 per cent of them would not have played a game of Australian Rules before this season.
“Many of them are not in a position where their parents can take them to matches on weekends.
“Most are studying English on weekends. They are studying seven days a week, so this has been a great release for them,” he said.
Mr Ware said the students are so keen, they ask to take footballs home at the weekends to practise.
“Their skills have improved enormously, but it’s their enthusiasm that is getting them over the line in many of their matches,” Mr Ware said.
“We train once or twice a week after school, depending on the weather. If it’s wet, I tell them to go home and watch a tape of the stars as their homework.
“They enjoy watching it at home. There are two students in particular who have really taken to Australian Rules football and they’ve been able to bring others into it.”
Mr Ware has encouraged the students to play football since he started at the school last year.
He is a Melbourne supporter, and has also managed to convince many of the students to barrack for the Demons.
“We’re called the Knights, but we wear the red and blue colours and sing the Melbourne theme song, and their heroes are players like Adem Yze and Aaron Davies.”
The Springvale Primary School Sports Association football grand final was due to be played at the Springvale West Primary School.
