Leaders of Evolution’s New Partnership Brings the AFL Directly to Australian Classrooms

Leaders of Evolution has engaged in many partnerships with universities and schools across the globe. We have provided many online courses and programs that teach student-athletes important sport skills they can apply on and off the field. However, we are always dedicated to increasing our global reach and bringing students the most up-to-date information in sports.

About AFL SportsReady

For 25 years, AFL SportsReady has been helping young Australians develop the necessary sport skills that will allow them to succeed on and off the field. However, our resources can help these young Australians further into their career. AFL SportsReady has helped develop the careers of around 16,000 young students, which includes about 2,500 Indigenous Australians and 700 Australian sporting organizations.

Like Leaders of Evolution, AFL SportsReady offers courses both online and also in-person lessons for high school and college students. These courses, whichever method they are taught, provide students with up-to-date skills by combining practical work experience with vocational training. Because of the unique partnership with Australian universities, students who complete the education program can gain entry into Degree qualification. At the end of these AFL SportsReady programs, students can walk always with educational experience ranging from Certificate level to a Diploma in their respective industry.

AFL SportsReady has partnered with many other organizations and sectors such as recreation, business, administration, education, finance, horticulture, information technology, retail, and the arts industry.

At Leaders of Evolution, we have partnered with the Essendon Bombers to create AFL-inside look for students in their learning development.

Train Like A Bomber Course

The “Train Like a Bomber” online learning experience was released on August 3, 2020, and accessible in all Australia schools before then. Together, we are inspiring participation and employment in the Australian sport industry. This program works alongside the Essendon Football Club, one of the teams that participate in the Australian Football League, to create a one-of-a-kind education opportunity. 

Students of this course will learn sport skills such as what it takes to be an elite AFL football player and how those leadership skills translate in student life. A course that combines these two unique educational opportunities has never been created before. Jon Shepherd, Co-founder of Leaders of Evolution, said that participants “don’t need to be a Bombers fan or even an AFL fan, but we know all students will learn lessons that will benefit them in their everyday life or their chosen sport.”

We are an online EdTech platform dedicated to educating not only students but also teachers and other sport administrators. This Train Like A Bomber course has been designed to not only be a once-and-done lesson but to be immersed and connected to the curriculum provided by Australian teachers. Therefore, it is just as important to offer the course to teachers and provide sport skills that will help them as educators.  

This course has already been implemented in Australian classrooms and has already proven to be a success. Wayne Shultz, Northern Metro Region Coordinator for School Sport Victoria, has said: “I congratulate Essendon Football Club in creating this program, which enhances learning, supports student engagement, and provides opportunity for those involved to make deeper connections to the Essendon players and staff”. 

Purpose Statement and Six Key Values 

At the end of the day, AFL SportsReady’s primary goal is to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to kick start their careers with confidence. Their programs provide students with the skills they will need to succeed, whether their future career is a professional athlete or any other position in the sport industry. As to any successful organisation, AFL SportsReady has outlined its purpose and six key values that will help them achieve this purpose.

Their purpose

To provide services to assist people with meaningful education, training, and employment and to support employers to develop their workforce.

Their values

Respect: we listen to and learn from others, and treat people well.

Excellence: we strive for excellence in all that we do.

Pride: we have pride in what we do and where we work.

Ethics: we are ethical in our decision-making and our behaviour.

Accountability: we do what we say we will do.

Team: we work together and support each other.

Leaders of Evolution

From the “Train Like a Bomber” course and many other courses provided by AFL SportsReady, these organizations like ours are pledging their support and determination to continue to educate students and leadership in unique ways.

We provide many courses that teach sport skills in a variety of ways for a diverse audience. We design these online courses with our students in mind and tailor these courses to each age level. For example, our “Emerging Leaders in Sport” program is designed for Australian students in years 9 & 10. We also provide courses for students in years 5 & 6 and again for years 9 & 10. However, we also believe that education should not just stop just because students leave school. We provide courses and have fully-customizable programs for elite programs, just like our partnership with AFL SportsReady and the Essendon Football Club. 

To learn more about how we can help bring Australian Sport to your students, click here to schedule an e-Learning Hub virtual tour.