Club most engaged with the community

[wikipediaAFLproject]

Today many of the AFL clubs are seen as corporate entities out to represent an area rather than engage with it. Many of the clubs have social clubs and shared community facilities. However reading about the history of clubs you cannot fail to notice that clubs around the world aren't as engaged with the local community as they used to. These were the days when footballers worked full time jobs on top of the football and fans would go to their house to congratualte them about a great game.
This seems to have been a lost. But what team in your mind do you feel is still engaged with the community the most.
Personally I would steer clear of Melbourne clubs. The Sun seem to be very engaged with the community. I believe they are setting the standard today to look up to.

Thoughts?

 

[Mitchell Madness]

will be shot down because big footy is so predictable, however, the Hawthorn Footy Club is still firmly entrenched in its community/with its fans

Plenty of fans will see a player out and about and that player will always be up for a chat, especially for fans they often see at functions or training.

One such story is fropm last year in which a father got the training date wrong and took his two kids down to waverly.
Kids were upset, and who should walk past? Lance Franklin, franklin walked up and introduced himself, before asking them to tour the facilities

 

[beenreal]

Port Adelaide has called Alberton Oval Home for 130 years and still has all the club/ social facilities there. Russell Ebert's Community Youth Program interacts heavily with the local area.

The reunification with the Magpies is only going to strengthen that link. Port Adelaide will be the only club in the competition running juniors, U18, Reserves and League Grades.

On the other hand, I'd be surprised if Collingwood players actually knew where Victoria Park is.

 

[Poseidon]

everybody is going to just say their own club, so i won't go down that road.

brisbane, sydney and west coast have always struck me as being very involved with their respective communities. i'm thinking it might be 'easier' for the clubs that don't exist in such a footy mad and busy place like victoria.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

The Gold Coast were praised by the mayor of the town because of their involvement with the community, so thumbs up to the Gold Coast.

I agree with Brownlow Judd, make a rule so you can't post your own team!

 

[Belnakor]

everybody is going to just say their own club, so i won't go down that road.

brisbane, sydney and west coast have always struck me as being very involved with their respective communities. i'm thinking it might be 'easier' for the clubs that don't exist in such a footy mad and busy place like victoria.

i'm surprised you said West Coast. They have spent too much time chasing the corporate dollar lately. Not close to the community.

I always thought North were the club close to the community. What clubs have member elects on their boards?

 

[winty]

I'm going to have to say Geelong, surprise, surprise, and here's why:

- Tom Harley, James Kelly and David Wojcinski saw a story on 60 Minutes once about alcohol-fueled violence on the streets of Geelong and Melbourne, and decided to do something about it, so started up the "Just Think" campaign. A campaign that the AFL got behind for the 2009 finals series, and has since been introduced in places like Darwin and Cairns.
- My sister in law, who incidentally is a Carlton supporter, was in Geelong hospital getting treatment for breast cancer a few years ago and had her mum by her bedside when several Geelong players visited her. A couple of years later her mother was with two of her grandkids trying to get players autographs before a game at Skilled when one of the players who visited my sister in law recognised her and asked her how my sister in law was doing.
- Cameron Ling is the ambassador for Anam Cara House, a palliative care facility in Geelong, and the Selwood family are ambassadors for Guide Dogs Australia, and Joel Selwood is also an Auskick ambassador too.

I'm sure all that is just the tip of the iceberg too.

 

[The OBSTacle]

No club with Pokie revenues should be mentioned in this thread.

 

[Johnson#26]

On the other hand, I'd be surprised if Collingwood players actually knew where Victoria Park is.

Time for a surprise! The Pies play their VFL home matches at Vic Park, and conduct clinics at the ground.

 

[liz]

brisbane, sydney and west coast have always struck me as being very involved with their respective communities. i'm thinking it might be 'easier' for the clubs that don't exist in such a footy mad and busy place like victoria.

Don't know if it is easier, but for clubs like Brisbane and Sydney (and now GC and GWS) I suspect it is a necessity. Those clubs have been - or will be in the case of the two new clubs - marketing the sport in areas where it is still a niche game. They have to get involved in their communities, especially schools, to try and grow the game and hence support for their clubs.

 

[crazywildhorse]

i'm surprised you said West Coast. They have spent too much time chasing the corporate dollar lately. Not close to the community.

I was just talking about this with a mate the other day and we came to the exact same conclusion.

 

[Coledinho]

i'm surprised you said West Coast. They have spent too much time chasing the corporate dollar lately. Not close to the community.

I always thought North were the club close to the community. What clubs have member elects on their boards?

Are you serious . Quite possibly the worst post ive ever read on Bigfooty. West Coast havnt chased a single corporate cent in recent years and in return most of it has ended up landing in Fremantles lap (BHP, mining sponsorship etc).

 

[PatWCE]

Which clubs have the best PR???

A long time ago, a young Michael Braun came to my primary school... Gave a speech and inspired a lot. All players do this, it's in their contracts.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

North Melbourne.

 

[white_noise]

Gold Coast Suns are doing an amazing job for the community here.

Not a day goes by where players don't do public appearances somewhere on the coast. I think every public school has been visited some time or another in 2010 by Suns players at least once, many autograph signings in shopping centres and places of the like.

They have done gift drops at the children's ward of the GC hospital 3 times now.

They have all completed their entry level lifesavers training.

They seem to have family days every month where all the kids can get photos and signatures with the players. (Just this morning they had a recovery session on Surfers Paradise beach - The turnout was huge)

They also have heaps of prize giveaways of pretty decent prizes on facebook, twitter and most of their public gatherings.

But as someone has already mentioned this is possibly just for good publicity. Interesting to see if they are still so involved in 36 months time.

 

[Pj.Rj.Hj]

I think we all know that every club is active in the community. Players and Coaches are always attending Schools and Junior Clubs for clinics and motivational talks. Weekly hospital visits to see the ill youngsters. Signing autographs at many training sessions. Club family days.

They all do it.

 

[gimp!]

will be shot down because big footy is so predictable, however, the Hawthorn Footy Club is still firmly entrenched in its community/with its fans

Plenty of fans will see a player out and about and that player will always be up for a chat, especially for fans they often see at functions or training.

One such story is fropm last year in which a father got the training date wrong and took his two kids down to waverly.
Kids were upset, and who should walk past? Lance Franklin, franklin walked up and introduced himself, before asking them to tour the facilities

You're right, bigfooty is so predictable...

 

[deeman12]

Essendon admittedly do a very good job in representing and engaging with the North-West area of Melbourne. Monfries, Hille, Winderlich, Watson and Atkinson have all come past my school to play footy with the primary kids a number of times over the last couple of years. I also know that they've gone past a number of schools in the area as well. They've never been short of friendly and approachable from my experience.

 

[Dazb86]

Gold Coast Suns are doing an amazing job for the community here.

Not a day goes by where players don't do public appearances somewhere on the coast. I think every public school has been visited some time or another in 2010 by Suns players at least once, many autograph signings in shopping centres and places of the like.

They have done gift drops at the children's ward of the GC hospital 3 times now.

They have all completed their entry level lifesavers training.

They seem to have family days every month where all the kids can get photos and signatures with the players. (Just this morning they had a recovery session on Surfers Paradise beach - The turnout was huge)

They also have heaps of prize giveaways of pretty decent prizes on facebook, twitter and most of their public gatherings.

But as someone has already mentioned this is possibly just for good publicity. Interesting to see if they are still so involved in 36 months time.

Good on them. Good marketing for the club. Hopefully they continue on doing this for a few years.


I'm sure every club does some sort of work with the community. I know the dogs had a program up in Darwin and do multicultral days at whitten oval/take disadvantaged kids to games.

 

[Off The Couch]

I think we all know that every club is active in the community. Players and Coaches are always attending Schools and Junior Clubs for clinics and motivational talks. Weekly hospital visits to see the ill youngsters. Signing autographs at many training sessions. Club family days.

They all do it.

The difference being though that of all the school clinics that the eagles have attended at the local primary school not one of them have been a name player. Half the time the kids can't even remember the name of the player that came out.

 

[stickman11]

No club with Pokie revenues should be mentioned in this thread.

you just can't afford any. Sour grapes.

I reckon the Dee's have a few interesting projects on the go but how to measure community is abit hard.

 

[Coledinho]

West Coast dont have name players.. We could send them Darren Glass on crutches to run a clinic I suppose. Either that or get Michael Braun out of retirement with our last rookie pick with the sole purpose of running school clinics.

Regardless, the player most engaed with the community has to be David Wirrpanda in recent times. Runs his own charity and does it very successfully to might I add.

 

[liam_13]

Gold Coast Suns are doing an amazing job for the community here.

Not a day goes by where players don't do public appearances somewhere on the coast. I think every public school has been visited some time or another in 2010 by Suns players at least once, many autograph signings in shopping centres and places of the like.

They have done gift drops at the children's ward of the GC hospital 3 times now.

They have all completed their entry level lifesavers training.

They seem to have family days every month where all the kids can get photos and signatures with the players. (Just this morning they had a recovery session on Surfers Paradise beach - The turnout was huge)

They also have heaps of prize giveaways of pretty decent prizes on facebook, twitter and most of their public gatherings.

But as someone has already mentioned this is possibly just for good publicity. Interesting to see if they are still so involved in 36 months time.

The lifesavers thing is being engaged or involved in the community, however, the rest is mainly for the clubs benefit, advertising etc for more members and publicity.

Being engaged with the community is more then doing a few clinics and raffles, and I will use a North example. Sorry but it is one that I know well.

http://www.kangaroos.com.au/the%20huddle/tabid/13962/default.aspx"]


Gold Coast Suns are doing an amazing job for the community here.

Not a day goes by where players don't do public appearances somewhere on the coast. I think every public school has been visited some time or another in 2010 by Suns players at least once, many autograph signings in shopping centres and places of the like.

They have done gift drops at the children's ward of the GC hospital 3 times now.

They have all completed their entry level lifesavers training.

They seem to have family days every month where all the kids can get photos and signatures with the players. (Just this morning they had a recovery session on Surfers Paradise beach - The turnout was huge)

They also have heaps of prize giveaways of pretty decent prizes on facebook, twitter and most of their public gatherings.

But as someone has already mentioned this is possibly just for good publicity. Interesting to see if they are still so involved in 36 months time.[/QUOTE]

The lifesavers thing is being engaged or involved in the community, however, the rest is mainly for the clubs benefit, advertising etc for more members and publicity.

Being engaged with the community is more then doing a few clinics and raffles, and I will use a North example. Sorry but it is one that I know well.

[http://www.kangaroos.com.au/the%20huddle/tabid/13962/default.aspx"]The Huddle is the North Melbourne Football Club’s community and education arm, established by the Scanlon Foundation, and supported by the Australian Multicultural Foundation and the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

The Huddle aims to improve social cohesion in North Melbourne and surrounding areas, particularly targeting disengagement among young people. It offers a range of innovative education and community programs, working with local primary and secondary schools, as well as community groups and partner organizations.

In 2010, nearly 5,000 young people accessed one or more of The Huddle’s programs, with students from almost every school in North Melbourne, Kensington, and Flemington visiting The Huddle at least once.

 

[Coledinho]

Fremantle probably the least involved. Apart from McPharlin breaking out his guitar to sing a tune I cant recall many charity type things they do. Would be happy to be proven wrong though

 

[deeman12]

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/community/news.asp?nid=5344

Should add that Welsh has also swung past my former school a number of times and being a Westmeadows boy, has a link to the area. He's also been involved in initiatives with the kids from the Flem/Kensington Flats as well over the years.

You'd think that the Dogs would also have a strong engagement in their area. For example, the Whitten Oval is open to public use.