Under 12s representing the four EDFA clubs at Optus Stadium on Friday. Photo: Billy Vibart.
Running on to Optus Stadium with a crowd of more than 38,000 cheering you on is a dream of most footballers, an experience the Esperance District Football Association’s Under 12s and Auskickers had last Friday night.
Forty children from the four EDFA teams were selected to play at half time of the West Coast Eagles and Greater Western Sydney AFL match.
Newtown-Condingup played Ports and Gibson played Esperance in separate Little League games as ten Auskickers also had a modified match on the turf of Optus Stadium.
Billy Vibart accompanied the Ports Football Club Under 12s group which included his son Myles.
“It was special. The Under 12s and the Auskickers played at half time and got to run around on the AFL turf and see themselves in the future as they pretended that they were famous AFL players,” Vibart said.
“It was pretty cool.”
The EDFA rescheduled the round nine fixtures for the younger grades to allow for the players and parent volunteers to attend.
“The Ports and Gibson game that was meant to be on the Friday was brought forward to the Wednesday beforehand to make sure that the players and volunteers could get up to Perth for the AFL game,” Vibart said.
“There were two parent volunteers from each club who went down onto the ground to help
take photos and do umpiring.
“There was a massive cohort of Esperance people there.”
Vibart said it was a hectic but rewarding experience for the players, parents and volunteers.
“To coordinate 40 kids to get onto and off the ground in the short time that was available for the half time break was pretty critical,” he said.
