Football Festival concludes 2011 Heroes Program

The Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) Heroes Program recently concluded for the year following the much anticipated football festival, run by participating students for their school community.

The Program, which has been supported by LUCRF Super for the last three years, serves as a significant link between disadvantaged students and Australian football stars. It aims to teach students fundamental values that will help them fulfil their personal and professional aspirations, through mentoring sessions from A-league footballers.

The ‘We can be Heroes’ football festival marked the end of the eight week program, giving students the opportunity to demonstrate what they had learnt to their fellow students.

Participating students from Altona Secondary College, one of the schools that LUCRF Super was invited to attend throughout the Program, held a series of 8 minute games for their football festival day. Students allocated tasks to each other, briefed other students of the activities, organised the grand finals between the winning teams and presented ‘Thank you’ certificates to their mentors as a token of their appreciation.

Sarah Curtain, a Physical Education teacher at Altona Secondary College, said “It has been exciting to watch the students grow into confident young adults. It made me proud to see students take charge of the festival day without anyone’s help. They really stepped up, looked after the younger students and made it fun for everyone.”

Well done to all of the 2011 participants, mentors, teachers and supporters. We look forward to another great year in 2012.