AMC sponsors St Kilda’s Next Generation Indigenous Scholarships

AMC Commercial Cleaning has partnered with St Kilda’s Football Club to award scholarships to ten young indigenous footballers from the bayside region.

The AMC Next Generation Academy Indigenous Scholarship has been set up to create a clear pathway for bayside indigenous kids to become better footballers and citizens, and to provide the required support for each scholarship holder as they progress within our academy.

Each of the ten new scholarship holders is of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and resides in the bayside region, and they were identified through either community football or other sports.

St Kilda’s newly appointed Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Programme Manager Allan Murray said the importance of sound education for indigenous youth is paramount.

“We’ve got 10 kids in and around the bayside area to come in and learn skills in not just footy, but skills in life as well,” he told saints.com.au.

“For St Kilda and AMC to come together and create a partnership to give these kids the key to success … hopefully they can get the most out of it.

“There are great support structures in the St Kilda footy club, and there’ll be programmes in place to help them be a good school student, or community person or even just helping mum and dad out at home.”

Indigenous Saint Jade Gresham was on hand to present the scholarship-holders with their new AMC Next Generation Academy guernseys, and he’s excited about the prospect the scholarship holds for young footballers.

“It’s a good chance to give back to some of the indigenous kids and help out in some little way, so I’m looking forward to being involved in it in the next year or so,” Gresham said.

“We have been a corporate partner of St Kilda’s for many years,” AMC CEO Kristie Coade told saints.com.au.

“Yet the focus on the next generation is especially significant for AMC on our 30th year in business.

“It aligns with our own journey as we change the baton from generation to generation. We are excited of the potential for the scholarship winners and for St Kilda.”

The primary objective of the Next Generation Academy is to introduce and familiarise these groups of players and their families to the modern-day St Kilda Football Club and all that an AFL football programme entails.