Kids get a kick out of helping

By Sarah Schwager
A GROUP of young Hampton Park footballers gave up part of their school holidays to volunteer with kids with a disability.
Four boys from the Hampton Park Junior Football Club heard of their coach’s wife’s work at Urimbirra Support Options, a centre for children with disabilities in Noble Park, and asked if they could help out.
Under 14s Jackson Dalton, under 15s Jayme Arnephy and Nathan Stephens, and under 16s player Brennan Barwise spent a day with the kids teaching them how to play football.
Hampton Park Junior Football Club vice president Steve Dalton said the boys were keen to volunteer at the centre after hearing some of the experiences of their coach Peter Stokes’ wife Tammy, who works at the centre.
“It is a pretty big thing for a kid to sacrifice time out of their holidays, and with disabled kids,” Mr Dalton said. “I was impressed.”
He said the boys asked Mrs Stokes to get the okay from the centre, whose staff were more than happy for them to come down.
“They all went down in their footy gear and had a kick-around with the kids,” Mr Dalton said.
“It was a really good thing for them to do and the kids loved it.”