The latest from USAFL players in OZ

Western Australia Country Footy Continues to Embrace Americans.

_{Mike Jaeger & Nick Nohner (red shorts left to right) with the Bruce Rock Footy Club in WA.}
 
Over the past several years American students studying abroad at Notre Dame University in Fremantle, Western Australia have been learning about footy from the South Fremantle Football Club.  Weekly training sessions are conducted by the club and students are taught the basics of the game.  A few students decide to have a go and jump right into the game playing with local country teams.  The two most recent Americans to try their foot at the game were Nick Noner and Michael Jaeger for the Bruce Rock Football Club (BRFC).

The President’s Perspective
Here’s what Club President, Jason Bow had to say about Nick and Michael’s performance this past Saturday.

“From the BRFC’s perspective the availability of these two young men was great for our club. We not only fielded a complete team, (18 plus bench) but we were able to experience different people of a different nationality. Very handy that they can speak Australian too (well by the end of the night we nearly had them anyway).”

“Our locals loved being able to mix it with a couple of ‘foreigners’ and by the end of the night they both had nicknames.  Michael was named Minnesota and Nick was conveniently given the nickname Nebraska (half of our boys still have no idea where that is in the states).”
“Bruce Rock is a struggling football club that has been around for nearly 100 years and quite often relies on out of towners to prop up their footy team.  The odd Norwegian, a couple of Danes and even a Canadian have played for the club, but these lads are the first Americans. I remember telling one of our younger players who had just returned from Europe earlier in the year that now that he has met Minnesota and Nebraska it can open up all new experiences for him if he wishes to travel to the states & even have a kick of Aussie rules on his journeys.”
“It was very rewarding, being the club president, to see Minnesota and Nebraska apply themselves to their new game.  Their families should be very proud of the way they handled themselves on and off the field.  It will be a shame that the lads are only available for a couple more weeks, they are more than welcome to stay for the rest of the year.”

_{Mike & Nick at the 1/4 time huddle}

The American Perspective
Michael shares his thoughts on the experience.
“After spending two months learning the game of Footy and training twice a week I was keen to play a game.  I had heard about the opportunity to play in the Country Footy League, which didn’t mean anything to me, besides a place to finally try a match.”
“When the day finally came to go play my first match at Bruce Rock I became nervous.  I was driving with my mate to a place we had never been, meeting all new people, and playing a game that we had really only watched on television.  Finding the oval in Bruce Rock proved to be easy enough; we spotted the stadium lights from 500 meters outside of town, and followed them through the small town.  After meeting the club president, the team coach and a few elder players, we were given jumpers and thrown into warm-ups.  To my surprise I was starting the game at outside half back.”

“It took a few minutes to get the flow of the game, but after the first quarter, and hitting the ground a couple of times, I started to feel at ease.  I finished the game with a few scrapes and a little sore; however, I didn’t feel out of place.  The team was encouraging the entire time, offering advice at any stops in play and congratulations on any accomplishments.”

“After the game is really the most memorable part of the experience.  We sat back, drank a little “piss” and watched the league game.  The Bruce Rock club was a great host.  The members were excited to talk to us, asking about our travels and what brought us to Bruce Rock.  We were also able to see the central role the footy club played in the community. There were games for everyone, from young girls and boys, to men in their forties. The community came together to support their town, and to see all their friends.”

“The trip to play footy in Bruce Rock gave me a chance to actually experience playing in a footy match.  The trip also allowed me to get outside of Perth, and see a small rural community in Australia; something I would not have seen unless I made the journey to Bruce Rock.  The experience was great and I am planning on going back to play in more matches with the Bruce Rock Footy Club.”

The program at Notre Dame has seen great success over the years with past students returning to the US and either starting footy clubs or joining other existing clubs.  An example of this is the Yankaroos club at Saint John’s University in St. Joseph, Minnesota. 
To learn more about the Yankaroos visit http://yankaroos.net/.  To learn more about the opportunity to study at Notre Dame University and play country footy in Western Australia contact Tony Fairhead at tonyfairhead@space.net.au.

_{Nick on the lead, scoreboard side of the ground. Nice grab son!}
 

_{Mike chasing hard out of the backline. Good effort son!}

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The West Australian Country Football League and the USAFL are excited to announce a joint initiative that, thanks to some organization and planning, will see five US born and bred footballers play Aussie Rules in the bush in 2009.  This exciting venture will see these players dispersed around country WA to be engaged in football, community and most of all a life experience.

The players are:
Cameron Freeman from Florida playing with Manjimup Imperials FC
Adam Hale from Orange County playing with Mukinbdin FC
Andrew Werner from Minnesota playing with Mt Barker Bulls FC
Brent Mergen from Minnesota playing with Denmark FC
Brady Phillips from Kansas City playing with Donnybrook FC

Brent Mergen, Andrew Werner, Grant Williams (AFL) and Alan McConnell (AFL). Photo taken at Visy Park in Melbourne, home of the Carlton Blues FC, on the boys way to Western Australia.

(check out Brady's TV interview here  and Andrew's radio interview here)

Dale Ballantyne, Country Development Manager at the WACFL, has touted the program as exciting and can see great benefits for both country WA and football in the US.  There are a growing number of US born and bred players playing AFL and in 2009 the US will hold their 12th National Championships in Ohio.  Mr Ballantyne said, “It will be very interesting to see the influence these five players have during the Championships after a full season of Aussie Rules football.”

The US Nationals held in October each year is the biggest carnival of its type in the world with over 35 men’s and women’s teams competing.

- Doren James