The Centralian advocate Tue 28 Feb 2012
Centralian Advocate; NewspaperNT
2012-02-28
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English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Alice Springs; Tennant Creek (N.T.) -- Newspapers; Alice Springs (N.T.) -- Newspapers.; Australia, Central -- Newspapers
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
Alice Springs
v. 66 no. 79
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00365
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/238406
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/632918
Centralian Advocate, Tuesday, February 28, 2012 29 P U B : C A D V D A T E : 2 8 -F E B -2 0 1 2 P A G E : 2 9 C O L O R : C M Y K SPORT Footy juniors need help AUSSIE RULES Dale Fletcher AFL Alice Springs Thunder Juniors Committee is seeking strong-minded individuals to help promote the program by joining the committee in 2012. The past few years have seen a deterioration in volunteer numbers and the committee will have a strong focus on creating a welcoming and fun environment and recruitment. They will also look at innovative ways to get children engaged in AFL at an important age for their development. Regional Development Manager of AFL Central Australia Jai Pumphrey said: Last year there were 158 young boys and girls enrolled in the three Auskick Centres in Alice Springs as well as 281 children enrolled in our juniors program. Our numbers for participation are very strong. The problem is our volunteer rates dont coincide with these figures. Last year our Juniors Committee president Jonathan Pilbrow did a lot of the work singlehandedly, not to say he didnt receive much-needed help from a certain few, but we need to spread the load a little bit more, as now he is burnt out. Pumphrey said there was a definite focus area for the 2012 committee. He said: We want to focus on developing a more sustainable model, where all clubs and parents can chip in and enjoy the company along the way. Our new slogan is our children, our commitment. I think that says it all. AFL is a great way for children to be active but its also a great way for parents and guardians to get to know their kids and spend time with them, not just on a Saturday but any night of the week. We have lost our family feeling and we need it back. The Junior Committee AGM will be held on March 12 at Monas Lounge at Traeger Park, but anyone interested should phone Jai Pumphrey on 0400 913 234. Turner loves new life Warren Thomson Richmond recruit Gibson Turner returned to Alice Springs last week Pictures: JUSTIN BRIERTY AUSSIE RULES Gibson Turner at NT Thunder training last week THE latest Centralian to join an AFL club, Gibson Turner, is settling into the life of an AFL footballer. Turner, who joined the club in December, has had to adjust to his new home and lifestyle, but he is enjoying his experience so far and looks forward to opportunities when they arise. He said: Its been pretty good and Im starting to get used to the training. Theyve got me on a weight program, which means I have to gain weight. Since Ive been there, Ive put on six kilos and I have to put on another five or six kilos so I can bulk up. Ive been hitting the gym nearly every day. When I first arrived at Richmond, I got pretty nervous and didnt think I would fit in with the team, but now Ive got pretty used to it, Im fitting in really well. Its been pretty cold. Its a big city and Ive been catching the tram every day to get to training. I got pretty used to it and I find it similar to living in Adelaide. But it has come with its challenges, from training away from group during injury rehabilitation to getting on the right tram. When trying to catch up with another Centralian AFL star, Liam Jurrah, Turner got on the wrong tram but fortunately managed to bump into some people he knew. He said: Liam and I were on the phone to each other and we wanted to catch up, so he told me he would wait at the train station for me. When I rocked up, he wasnt there and I was thinking What the hell? Where is he?, so I took off down the street and Amos Frank, who is a rookie for Hawthorn and from the APY Lands, with a worker at Hawthorn, pulled over. They asked me what I was doing and asked me if I had seen my coach Damien Hardwick, but I hadnt, and they told me Well he lives right there. So we knocked on Damiens door and he freaked out and asked me What am I doing here? and I told him I got lost, so I ended up spending the day with him and ended up not seeing Jurrah. After that I learned my lesson and Im now catching the right trams. Turner just went through a twoand-a-half-week stint of rehabilitation, which he found difficult due to being away from his teammates, who he is starting to become good friends with. I was doing all right at training until I did my groin. Being in rehabilitation for the last couple of weeks has been pretty lonely because its only me and a couple of other players and you want to be out training with the group. Most of the boys are starting to open up to me and Im starting to get pretty close to them. My closest mates at Richmond right now would be Alex Rance, Jake King and Tyrone Vickery. Turner hopes his groin is fine so that he can make his NAB Cup debut against Geelong on March 10 at Geelongs Simonds Stadium. He said: Im coming back from a groin injury, which happened a couple of weeks ago, but hopefully I will get to play against Geelong next week in the NAB Cup and Im looking forward to it. We will see what happens with my groin first because I only started running on Saturday. If I train well this week and there is no problem with the groin, I should have a pretty good chance. Im a bit nervous, but I cant wait (for the opportunity). I was pretty nervous watching the games on Friday and imagining myself out there. The crowds are way bigger than in Alice, so Ive got to get used to that. But my goal this year is not to focus on playing with the big boys (in the AFL). My goal is to play well with Coburg and get my fitness up, but the doors open, so I might get a chance. Turner was back in Central Australia this week as part of Richmonds outback Tigers program, which uses football as a tool to get kids going to school and improving attendance by educating students that skills learned at school such as reading, writing and maths are important skills for an AFL footballer. Turner said: It was good to come home and see the family and Ive had a good experience speaking at the schools, which is something I had never done before.