Auskick a family ritual for the Hortons Wednesday, April 15, 2015 - 2:41 PM - by Georgia Raven

The early morning Sunday wakeups have become a typical weekend ritual for the Horton family ever since they enrolled their eldest son Thomas in the NAB AFL Auskick program seven years ago.

The program has entered it’s 20^th year and gives kids between the ages of five and 12 the opportunity to learn the basic skills and rules of AFL.

Thomas, 13, and his two younger brothers Samuel (11) and Joel (8) have all taken part in the program with Mount Lawley-Inglewood Junior FC.

Now playing for the club’s Juniors, Samuel said Auskick is the best thing to have ever happened to him.

“You learn the basic skills of how to hold a footy, how to kick it, how to handball and those basic skills can get you a long way.”

After asking the boys what they loved most about the program, friendship became the talk of the town.

Thomas, who plays for the year 8’s Mount Lawley-Inglewood Roos, still hangs out with the boys he met when he started at the age of six.

“You make life long-friends. My friend Tom…we have been friends ever since kindy and through (NAB AFL) Auskick our friendship has kept growing.”

NAB AFL Auskick has become a major part of the family’s life with dad Geoff having coordinated the Mount Lawley-Inglewood Auskick program over the last four years.

“It’s the best game there is. It has built-up their personal skills, they have made heaps of friends. The game breeds team spirit,” he said.

Finishing his four-year stint on a high Geoff managed to score the team, which included his son Joel, a half-time match at last year’s Hawthorn v Collingwood clash at the MCG.

In front of a crowd of more than 70,000 Joel said: “it was the best experience and one I’ll remember forever”.

“We got to look around the Hawthorn club rooms and I got to shake players hands.”

It’s safe to say Hawthorn’s key forward Cyril Rioli has become the eight-year-old’s footy legend.  

Nearly 180,000 kids registered nationally for the program last year and if the Horton clan are anything to go by – it’s proved to be a great door-opener for active young kids who want to have a go.

The program is run heavily by adult volunteers who also get the chance to play-off against their kids.

“It’s always so much fun when the kids verse the grown ups, Especially when the grownups fall over themselves.. it doesn’t get any better than that,” Thomas said.

To find your nearest Auskick Centre visit www.playAFLWA.com.au