John Fahey joins Rugby League

[Cronulla_Mania]

<table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=780 bgcolor=#ffffff border=0> <tbody> <tr> <td valign=top width=467> <table cellspacing=1 cellpadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <tbody> <tr> <td> <table cellspacing=5 cellpadding=0 width="100%" align=center border=0> <tbody> <tr> <td>NEW CHAIRMAN FOR ARL FOUNDATION</td></tr> <tr> <td>20 March 2002

The man who engineered Sydney’s bid for the Olympic Games, former State Premier, Hon John Fahey, has assumed the role of Chairman of the Australian Rugby League Foundation. The recently retired Federal Finance Minister is looking forward to promoting junior participation with a Foundation that has already introduced Rugby League to hundreds of thousands of school children since 2000. In those two years, the Foundation’s revolutionary approach to junior development has seen a team of mostly female Primary School Development officers conduct clinics at 4,000 individual schools each year as well as Gala Days and out of school competitions. For Mr Fahey, it is another chapter in what has been a life-long involvement with the code. Mr Fahey was graded with the Canterbury Bankstown Rugby League club in 1965-66, as well as playing and coaching for many seasons in the Country Rugby League. He is the current Patron of the Bulldogs. He takes over as Chairman from the former Governor of the Reserve Bank, Mr Bernie Fraser, who’s outstanding guidance has overseen the Foundation since its inception. As Chairman, Mr Fahey, will work with Board Members of the calibre of Broncos Coach Wayne Bennett NRL CEO David Gallop and other senior Rugby League administrators in promoting the grass roots. "I am excited with the challenge and opportunity to foster and promote Rugby League to children and families," Mr Fahey said. "The Foundation is rebuilding and reinvigorating interest in Rugby League among young kids who will in turn become tomorrow’s fans and perhaps even tomorrow’s stars. "I welcome this opportunity to contribute to the game’s future." The ARL Foundation is financially supported by the NRL clubs and the NRL Partnership. The Foundation employs over 30 development officers, most are former school teachers, who encourage children to participate in Rugby League as their primary aim. In the last two years the ARL Foundation has recorded the following milestones: - 9,778 schools visited (including revisits)
- 4,000 individual schools visited each year
- 2,960 of those schools were new to Rugby League
- 22,887 individual clinics/lessons conducted
- 921,262 students reached
- 1,468,956 student contacts (including revisits)
- 110 after school competitions involving 5,820 players
- 677 Gala Days involving 150,000 children
- Over 40 “blitzes” involving 182,636 children “It is an enormously successful programme and I am delighted to be involved,” Mr Fahey said.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>
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