US Footy Nationals at Colorado Springs
South West Regional Football Manager, Shane Atherton's recent business trip is one he is unlikely to forget.
03 November 2008
Shane and other representatives from the WA Country Football League attended
the annual US Footy Nationals at Colorado Springs, Colorado over the weekend of
11 and 12 October.
Almost 1000 players participated in the tournament,
the largest Australian Rules Football carnival held in the world.
The men's division comprised over 30 teams from across the United States and
Canada. Six female teams also competed for the right to be crowned 2008 US Footy
Women's Team Champions.
Part of Shane's role in attending the
championships was to further build the relationship between the WA Country
Football League and US Footy.
Currently there are a small number of US
students studying at Notre Dame who are also playing AFL football at community
clubs in regional WA.
In 2009 it is hoped that more than 30 players from
teams across the United States will spend a year living, working and playing AFL
football in regional centres across WA.
The benefits for a young person
to consider this move are centred around the life experience, understanding of
how community clubs are vital in regional towns and also to fast track their AFL
development.
The standard of competition in US Footy would be similar to that of a regional competition in WA. Upon their return to the US these players will have vastly improved, and it is hoped that this will assist with increasing the playing standard of the US footy competition.
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