MELBOURNE’S drive to reconnect with its ‘heartland’ has seen the club visit more than 20 schools/junior football clubs on Thursday.
The entire squad was split up into groups, visiting schools and clubs in the south-east Melbourne suburbs.
Suburbs such as Bentleigh East, Carnegie, Camberwell, Caulfield South, Caulfield North, East Camberwell, Glenhunty, Glen Iris, Kooyong, Malvern, Malvern East, Murrumbeena, Ormond, Toorak and Windsor were visited by the players.
Key forward Chris Dawes, dashing half-back/winger Heritier Lumumba and youngster Jimmy Toumpas visited the Caulfied Bears at Koornang Park, Carnegie.
They conducted a clinic late afternoon/evening, before holding a question and answer session in the club rooms.
Although it was wet, rainy and cold, Dawes, Lumumba and Toumpas were outstanding with the juniors and the youngsters relished having the Demons visit them.
Lumumba said it had been a great day in Melbourne’s heartland.
“We had a full day of involvement in the community, mostly our heartland, which is something we’re trying to reconnect to and it’s been fantastic,” he told Dee TV.
The 208-game player said he took plenty from the day.
“I’ve learned a lot actually, being in classrooms and also [meeting] some junior footballers,” he said.
Being able to impart some of your wisdom and communicate it effectively – and simplify it – is a challenge in itself.
“One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot today is the prospect of what it would be like for a coach and if it’d be something I would like to do in the future.
“It’s been a really good day for me.”
Overall, the Melbourne players attended the following schools: Southern Autistic School, St Anthony’s Primary School, Malvern Valley Primary School, Malvern Primary School, Loreto Mandeville Hall Toorak, Stonnington Primary School, St Mary’s Primary School, Caulfield South Primary School, St Aloysius Primary School, East Bentleigh Primary School, Coatesville Primary School, Katandra School, St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, De La Salle College, Malvern Central School, St Cecilia’s Primary School and St Dominic’s Primary School.
They also visited junior clubs: Caulfield Bears Football Club, Murrumbeena Junior Football Club, Ormond Junior Football Club, Camberwell Sharks Junior Football Club and Glen Iris Gladiators Junior Football Club.
