AFL Max Camp
In Week 7 of Term 4, twenty-seven Year 10 students departed for the inaugural AFL Max camp.
This brand new venue next to Melbourne airport features the state of the art technology, with an indoor footy field, Ariel zones, climbing wall, interactive screens, skill testing attractions and the impossible goal!
The students embarked on a leadership course over the two days discussing leadership skills and strategies, encouraging anyone to have the capacity to be a leader. Using four quarters that mirror an AFL game, each module had a practical focus:
Q1: Energy
Be a better you. Goal setting and understanding your strengths. This involved AFL minor games, getting the students to work in teams to complete tasks and competing against teams.
Q2: Purpose
The why behind what you do. Active problem-solving challenges; this involved the use of the Ariel zone with students leaping into airbags, monkey bars, using the trampolines and completing a speed challenge over the cargo net.
Q3: Connect
Great communication begins with connection. Interactive team challenges. This involved the teams working together to complete interactive games against each other and the clock. One of the teams set the new highest score for space invaders.
Q4: Perform
Setting high standards is the beginning. High performance challenges involving the Ariel zone again as well as the rock climbing wall.
In a free time session, we had two students kick the impossible goal! Baylee got the first with Will scoring soon after. The celebrations were outstanding!
Following a delicious dinner and a film on the field, we walked over to The Hanger, Essendon Football Club’s training facility. Students slept in luxury normally reserved for players and para-lympians!
After a great night sleep and an incredible breakfast (for the teachers that is), we finished our final quarter and had some free time to finish up on all the fun things.
Mr Cottier managed to organise a return trip to The Hanger where we were able to watch the Essendon team train, seeing in action the leadership skills that we had discussed in our program. It was an incredible opportunity to see how a top-level training session was conducted, with technology like drones being used for data collection, coaches working together and players completing a variety of drills and game like scenarios. Our students managed to speak to (and motivate) Ben McKay whilst he was completing a rehab session away from the main group.
Overall, a fantastic camp with impeccable behaviour from our students and enthusiasm from staff!
