Fremantle’s Next Generation Academy staff including NGA coach Tendai Mzungu, Indigenous liaison officer Michael Johnson and NGA manger Darryn Fry are in the Kimberley this week.
The Kimberley is one of the regional allocations for Fremantle’s NGA, where the NGA aims to identify and develop young talent in the region.
Mzungu runs through what they have to been up to so far.
Sunday 16 June
We arrived in Kunnunurra at 3.10pm and were welcomed by the Carter family. Jason Carer is the first product of Fremantle’s NGA to be drafted to Fremantle. We had dinner with Jason’s parents Delphine and Joseph, along with his younger sister Jayda.
Monday 17 June
After breakfast at 6am we were on the road to Wyndham after a quick caffeine hit.
We arrived at Wyndham District H.S, where we were introduced during the whole school assembly.
Were taken to ‘The Bastion’, which overlooks the five rivers that flow into the Cambridge Gulf, by the senior school students, who gave us some insight into the Wyndham region, along with a kick to kick overlooking the beautiful backdrop.
Throughout the morning we ran education workshops, training sessions and games with each student throughout the school, along with primary school students from St. Josephs, which is close by.
We had a bite at a café in town where we passed on the crocodile pie and instead chose the chicken and salad roll instead.
In the afternoon we went for a swim in Molly Springs which is on the way back to Kununurra to cool off (we were assured there were no crocs in the springs).
We drove over Ivanhoe crossing which is a bridge that passing across the Ord River. The water level was low enough for us to drive across, although the crocs that litter the waters made for a reasonably hairy drive.
Once back in Kununurra, we ran a Super Clinic for 30+ year 7-9 students in the region. Some natural talent on display and the attitude of the kids was terrific.
Following the Super Clinic, we attended the Waringarri Crows session where we helped facilitate a sessions for Junior and Senior players.
Again the skill level that is consistently seen throughout the Kimberley was on display, which made for a really enjoyable session.
A busy day! Stay tuned for more updates from our visits on Tuesday and Wednesday.
