Fremantle’s new partnership with WA Police is rapidly growing as the Club’s Fan and Community Engagement team held a coaching accreditation session with the WAFC for more than 20 Aboriginal Police Cadets.
The partnership is specifically helping WA Police cadets, recruits and frontline officers gain their AFL Coaching Accreditation, in a strategy to implement positive policing outcomes in the community.
Part of this strategy includes helping increase the community coaching presence in the Club’s Next Generation Academy Zone of the Kimberley.
Police Cadet Shaye Taylor, who also is the women’s captain of the Port Wyndham Crocs, was one of the participants.
“We came down to Perth to do AFL coaching sessions so we can get our accreditation for AFL coaching. It’s so we can become football coaches and build relationships with the community and mainly the kids,” Taylor said.
“All you see kids doing these days is picking up the footy and kicking it around, that’s why they want WA Police to get involved so we can get our accreditations, we’ll know how to pick up a football and pass on some extra knowledge to the kids. That’s the main aim behind doing this accreditation.
“I’m learning a lot and it’s fun stuff. I do some of this at training but I’m learning a lot too. It’s good to be here and it’s exciting to see where Fremantle train as well.”
Taylor said she loved how much the community got around the local football teams in the Kimberley.
“When we have our football games, you see everyone there. People that you don’t usually see around, even older people, you’ll see them come down and watch the games,” Taylor said.
“Football brings everyone out to watch and they love watching their family and their friends. Football is getting a lot bigger up north now, especially with the women playing AFLW. I’ve noticed that in the East and West Kimberley.”
Fremantle are committed to providing resources for community coaching initiatives such as this new program, with the goal of upskilling community coaches to create a better game and keep young people involved in playing football.
