By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
PAKENHAM Football Club representatives will gain invaluable experience with an AFL team after taking out a major award.
The club was recognised for its outstanding work in the community at the AFL Coaches Association Dinner on Tuesday night.
Representatives were at the dinner to receive the 2015 Fox Footy Club Rewards Gold Tier Award, a prize recognising grassroots football clubs making exceptional contributions to their communities.
They will receive a tour of the Fox Footy studios and spend a full day at the St Kilda Football Club to experience a professional AFL team’s preparations for the 2016 season.
Pakenham Football Club Treasurer Simon Bevan said it was pleasing the club had been acknowledged for their work.
“To have attended last night and to have our work in the community acknowledged by Fox Footy and the AFLCA, it was a pretty proud moment for our footy club last night,” he said.
“It was a really special experience to be at the dinner and to be right among some of the elite coaches, we got a lot out of it and look forward to getting down to the Saints in the next couple of months.”
The club regularly involves itself in causes within the community, engaging with initiatives such as the Cardinia Relay for Life and supporting organisations including Pakenham RSL, the MND Foundation, BeyondBlue, the White Ribbon Foundation and Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation.
National Fox Footy Club Rewards Ambassador Danny Frawley said he expected the club would benefit enormously from their upcoming experience.
“Local football clubs are the backbone of the community and it is refreshing to see an organisation like Foxtel genuinely investing in their growth and development,” he said.
“By giving them access to expert AFL coaching advice, as well as some best practices for how to grow their clubs off the field, the clubs will be better placed to further grow their presence in the local community.”
Pakenham Football Club was selected from over 100 nominated grassroots clubs from around Australia to win the award.
