Play Project has Australia’s primary school students huffing and puffing
Primary school students from around Australia are already feeling the benefits of the three-year $3 million Play Project according to a report on the program’s pilot year.
The Project is aimed at educating primary school students about the benefits of regular physical activity, introducing them to the concept of ‘huff and puff’ active play – physical activities that increase their heart rate, resulting in huffing and puffing.
More than 22,000 primary school students in Victoria and New South Wales took part in the pilot year of Play Project, which is a partnership between Football Federation Australia (FFA) and Mondelez International.
FFA CEO David Gallop joined players Max Burgess & Renee Rollason from Sydney FC and Daniel Alessi & Ellie Carpenter from the Western Sydney Wanderers FC, and Mondel?z International ANZ Managing Director Amanda Banfield today to announce the results from the first year of the project.
Gallop was proud of the results that were achieved in the first year of the program.
“As a major sport in Australia, football has a unique ability to positively influence the behaviour of all school children,” said Gallop.
“The aim of the Play Project is to educate all school aged children about the benefits of regular exercise and activity.
“We are extremely pleased that we have been able to reach over 22,000 children in the first year,” concluded Gallop.
A report at the one year mark of the project has been compiled through surveys and focus groups of teachers and students, and has concluded that the project has been highly successful in improving the awareness of the importance of active physical activity, and effective in changing behaviour.
“The success of the Play Project’s pilot year shows that educating Australian schoolchildren about how they should be playing is crucial for creating a generation of kids who have the skills to lead healthy and happy lives.
“We’re aiming to reach around 85,000 primary school children over the three years and establish an evidenced-based model that could be applied into the future.
“As computer, phone and TV screens occupy more and more of our attention at work and in our downtime, the importance of teaching the next generation to be aware of finding balance with physical activities will only become more crucial,” said Mondelez ANZ’s Amanda Banfield.
The Play Project will continue its rollout across Australian primary schools and is expected to reach a further 33,000 students in its second year.
-FFA Media Release
