The Smart Starts NiuKick AFL Schools competition continued at the Murray Barracks oval yesterday with 10 primary schools and four secondary schools competing.
Paradise Foods Ltd backs the schools competition through their Smart Start Biscuits brand. Since PNG AFL NiuKick Schools Competition started, it has continued to gain momentum with overwhelming interests from young boys and girls from the various schools in NCD and Central Province.
With the competition now into its fifth weekend, the Murray Barrack oval has become a favourite hub for the young AFL enthusiasts who are eager to learn, play and develop their skills and knowledge of the game.
AFL Junior League Competition Director, David ToPeni said since taking the NiuKick Program to the schools there’s been overwhelming support and interest from primary and secondary students most of them now competing in the schools competition.
He said the schools program this year will run for 6 weeks with one week left before they have their finals both for the boys and girls.
ToPeni also highlighted the various age categories under their NiuKick schools program ranges from U13 and U15 boys and girls.
He said after the schools program they will continue with the youths program, which is U17 and U19 boys and girls all under the same sponsorship of Smart Start.
ToPeni said they have six schools currently taking part in the schools program, they are Taurama Primary school, Kila Kila Primary, St Peters Primary, St Therese Primary, Gerehu Primary and Waigani Primary schools.
He said from their school visits and awareness campaigns the Murray Barracks field is always packed on Saturdays with kids very enthusiastic and eager to learn and play AFL.
He said the main objective of the NiuKick Schools Program is to teach the kids the basic skills and knowledge of the AFL and various technics that they can apply on the field.
From the program, they will identify potential talents (boys and girls) with the right skills and right behaviour that they can put into their academy program to prepare for a number of proposed international tours to Australia next year.