Last week, Auskick co-ordinators confirmed the worst possible news — the program had been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Co-ordinator Rodney Alley, who would usually run the program alongside Andrew Halstead, said the health of safety of participants and parents came first.
“We really wanted to run the program for the kids, but in the end, it was just too difficult,” he said.
“All of us are only volunteers who don’t get paid for it, so we had to weigh up the risks against the rewards.
“There were a lot of discussions over the past few weeks because everything was moving so quickly.
“The rising number of cases in Melbourne and just how quickly the virus is spreading is one of the reasons why we decided to call it off.
“We’re very sorry this decision has been made, but we know that we will be bigger and better next year.”
Given Kyabram’s rich history of producing talented footballers at the highest and local level, Rodney encouraged kids to keep getting outside and playing the game they love.
“Make sure you’re getting out in the backyard and having a kick — whether it be with your parents or friends,” he said.
“It’s important you keep up your skills because we’re already looking forward to seeing you back out on the ground.
“It’s sad we can’t go ahead this season, but we’re confident a lot of our kids will be back.”
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