HORSHAM Primary School will send a football team and support staff to Sydney later this month for a unique educational program.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Students form the team and support staff, and they will participate in two football games against Sydney under-12 teams, and receive a tour of the Sydney Swans' facilities and Sydney Opera House.
The roles of the 15 support staff include fitness and training, game analysis, media and promotions, team management, and diet and nutrition.
The emphasis of the trip will not be on the on-field competition, but the other off-field roles involved in professional sport.
Members of the team are already following a diet plan developed by the nutrition staff, and training is managed by the fitness team.
Horsham Primary School principal Chris Walter said the school and Anglicare Victoria developed the unique program.
"Anglicare's work with schools is based around aspirational stuff where they try to raise the aspirations of rural and disadvantaged youth," he said.
"One of the biggest pushes for them is to get more children involved in higher education, particularly through their four pillars of sport, art, music and environment.
"While the team is the vehicle for getting us to Sydney, it's about the support staff and they are experiencing what a job is like in elite sport."
Mr Walter said the trip would help open the students' eyes to how many roles there were within professional sport.
He said whenever Essendon played an interstate game, there were 104 people on the flight and only 25 were players the rest were support staff with tertiary degrees.
The students will spend time with the Swans in addition to playing two games.
Mr Walter said the focus would be on support roles.
He said the school hoped to organise an opportunity to meet Wimmera players Jake Lloyd and Adam Goodes.
Mr Walter thanked The Fig Tree Cafe, Hillross Financial Services, Meritum Financial Group, Hotondo Homes, Horsham Doors and Glass, Olsen and Carter, Glover Earth Moving, CHS Group and the Telstra Shop for supporting the team.