Students from St Francis of Assisi Primary School in Tarneit got active this week, with fun-filled online sessions on Thursday featuring North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos' AFLW player Daria Bannister.

Bannister facilitated three separate online footy clinics, ranging from Grade Prep to Year Six, with around 120 students attending each session.

The activity kicked off with basic warmups to get their bodies moving and ready to have fun.

The young people, dressed in their favourite footy team gear, embraced their space, whether it was their living room or backyard in the sunshine, while other students joined in from school. There was even some enthusiastic participation from siblings and pet dogs.

The session moved on to building on skills, starting off with the foundations of handballing, practicing the move with their left and right hands, using a bucket as a target.

“it’s really tricky” young student Caleb said. 

Next up on the agenda was kicking the footy. In each session balls were seen flying across the screens of the students, with the odd football occasionally knocking over zoom cameras.

“The more you practice the better you’ll kick,” Bannister encouraged the group. 

Each clinic wrapped up with question time, where students and teachers asked their burning questions of the North star. 

“How many days do you have to practice?,” Zaiden asked. 

“I’m practicing every day at the moment,” Bannister replied.

“I’m trying to practice on my left foot kicking more.”

Another student Heath proudly showed off his prized football covered in signatures from North Melbourne players.

“What sports you played before you got into AFL?,” one teacher queried.

“I first started playing state netball and got into AFL through gala days at high school, and I really enjoyed it,” Bannister replied. 

“I was juggling both football and netball to begin with, but picked football in the end because of people around me and the freedom of the game.”