It was night one of The Swans Experience at CLUB SWANS and nearly 200 youngsters turned up to be taken through a fast-actioned evening hosted by Jude Bolton, Peter Everitt and ‘umpire’ Jared Crouch.
Also taking part in running The Experience were Darren Jolly, Luke Brennan, Jarred Moore and Craig Bird while special guests were injured Nick Malceski and the Swans all-time games record holder Michael O’Loughlin.
With many parents on hand to watch the proceedings youngsters from the Mosman Swans, Willoughby Wildcats, St Ives Saints and Pittwater Tigers were all bused in for the evening which kicked off just after 5pm.
Sydney Swans mascot ‘Cyggy’ was there to greet the throng on arrival and the youngsters, all aged between 9-14 years, were ushered into the CLUB SWANS auditorium.
After a briefing by Bolton, Everitt and Crouch the room was split up into two teams, the red and the white.
Teams set, the main event got under way with Swans senior coach Paul Roos looking down from the giants screens and welcoming the four junior clubs and their parents to The Experience.
The first siren sounded and it was warm-up time with some jogging on the spot before players were called up for the first challenge – handball.
Nick Malceski was up on the screen giving advice on just how the young aspirants should handball and all watched the Swans young star intently.
At the conclusion of the handball challenge the first quarter siren sounded and on returning after the short break it was time for Michael “Magic” O’Loughlin to step up for an interview before answering questions from the floor.
Then it was more jogging and push-ups before the next challenge which was ‘marking’.
Again there were the instructions from the big screen before the marking game charged into action.
With the two teams cheering loudly for their participants it was the red team which prevailed this time and the prizes were handed out accordingly.
The half-time siren sounded and the scoreboard update showed both teams were equal on one win apiece before the third quarter siren sounded and the call-up came for Nick Malceski.
Nick was interviewed before a youngster from each group was invited to the stage for Jared’s Journal with Jared Crouch doing the interviewing.
Then there was the 3rd Quarter Quiz and a message from the AFL before the final break.
On returning teams were brought together and it was time to sing the Swans Club Song and “cheer cheer the red and the white” roared through the corridors of CLUB SWANS.
Then, to close off the evening, the individually junior Clubs were called onto the stage for a team photo with the Swans players.
As one parent, Peter Papas from the Mosman Swans said: “What a fantastic night for the kids, and what a great way to get them involved and reinforce the Sydney Swans and AFL commitment to junior footy.”
