AFL based school prepares to launch

The Academy is getting ready to launch their new Wangaratta campus next month with the final stepping stones put in place.

The year 11 and 12 VCAL,AFL base school is a full time education program that provides an alternative to standard year 11 and 12 schooling with contextualised curriculum that is centred around AFL.

Students graduate with a Victoria Certificate of Applied Learning and multiple pathway opportunities.

The program will be delivered by GOTAFE, with Justin McMahon delivering the program as a GOTAFE teacher.

McMahon is a Wangaratta local with multiple ties to the local community having been involved with the Murray Bushrangers as the U16 coach, as well as a previously held role as assistant coach of the Victorian U18 side.

McMahon said the opportunity was too good to pass up.

“Having worked with the Murray Bushrangers and AFL Victoria Country programs for six years I feel those environments combined with teacher VCAL programs has set me up well for this job,” McMahon said.

“It’s a great opportunity to add The Academy program to the list of things I’ve done in the AFL arena.”

“Having researched a bit about The Academy when I applied for the job, the culture around the program and high performance I believe it will be a successful program.”

McMahon outlined the areas he liked about the program.

“I really do like the philosophy,” He said.

“Bringing high performance to the education setting will not only set up students for learning experiences but also set them up for life as well.”

Wangaratta local Cam Bishop will take on the position as head of Strength and Conditioning.

Bishop will work with the high-performance department to develop strong athletes that stay in tap with their physical health and development for years to come.

Bishop currently works as a physiotherapist and has spent the last three years heading up the Murra Bush-rangers’ high performance department.

“Cam’s (Bishop) a massive inclusion into The Academy,” McMahon said.

“Having worked with him at the Bushrangers he’s just a freak at what he does.”

“Also working with Alex (Rance) will be awesome as he’ll have some great knowledge having been in the AFL environment.

“An AFL club is a learning environment so it’ll be good to set up our students to be ready for that experience if that’s something that they want to do.”

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