Sharks Have Heart, the community arm of the Cronulla Sharks, support numerous community events and initiatives every month.
From supporting NRL game day community partners, to player visits to schools, junior league and local Sutherland Shire sporting events, to providing donations to worthy causes and individuals, Sharks Have Heart has a fingerprint and involvement in numerous areas of the local community.
In spreading the word, while providing opportunity for people and organisations to request support and at the same time encouraging donations so as the important community work can be carried out, last month Sharks Have Heart launched its very own website - www.sharkshaveheart.com.au
The website showcases the four pillars of Sharks Have Heart, to Inspire, Grow, Educate and Engage, in addition to providing details on the programs that are currently being run, while also offering the opportunity to track where donations and contributions are being utilised.
Also, Sharks Have Heart now produces a monthly newsletter, detailing the work that has been done, the community visits undertaken and the donations and support provided, in keeping everyone up to date with all the most recent happenings.
Following is a snapshot of the May Edition of the Sharks Have Heart newsletter.
For those wanting to receive the monthly newsletter, head to the Sharks Have Heart website to register.
Skillz4me Launch
Skillz4me, a Sharks Have Heart-supported program for children on the Autism Spectrum or with additional needs, was successfully launched at the Taren Point Community Hall late last month.
A program combining sport, fun and therapy, Skillz4me sessions focus on building confidence, improving social skills, coordination and balance, stimulating neural pathways, eye tracking and concentration, in a healthy, safe and friendly environment.
Founded and conducted by Jason Stanton from Sharks Have Heart in partnership with his wife Sarah, Skillz runs over 40 weeks and is a one-hour weekly session, attracting between 10-30 families each week at no cost to the participants.
The launch was attended by NRL squad members Aaron Gray, who is a Skillz4Me ambassador, Wade Graham and Valentine Holmes, Sharks Head Coach Shane Flanagan, Sutherland Shire Mayor Carmelo Pesce and Richard Clarke representing Sharks Have Heart Platinum Partners Capital Bluestone.
For more, including the objectives of the program, check out www.Skillz4me.com.au or CLICK HERE to see the Sharks website article.
To support these kids and Skillz4me, you can make a donation (CLICK HERE), with your contribution enabling kids with autism and other additional needs to take part in this unique and valuable program.
Fifita and the Sharks get their 'GAME ON'
Andrew Fifita and NSW Women's Origin squad member Shontelle Stowers joined author Sarah Tillott from School For Living, in launching the book 'Game ON', a teaching resource for primary schools supported by Sharks Have Heart.
An invaluable resource containing resilience learning opportunities that enable both teachers and readers to extract resilience opportunities with confidence, Game ON is empowering, fun and engaging and has demonstrated sustainable behaviour change in children.
Fifita, Stowers and Ms Tillott launched the book at the Kurnell Public school in front of a room full of attentive Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students.
Game On, which has been written with a Sharks and a rugby league theme, has been offered free (one hard copy A3) to all Sutherland Shire primary schools and pre-schools.
For more information about the book, the author or how schools can register to redeem the book, CLICK HERE to see the Sharks website video and editorial.
Flanagan and Brailey help wrap Skills Development Program
Ambassadors Shane Flanagan and Jayden Brailey attended the final session of the Skills Development Program at Greenhills reserve recently.
A six-session program run over eight weeks, the focus of Skills Development was on teaching correct and safe tackling techniques for local juniors, while at the same time enhancing skills in other areas of the game.
Skills Development, which reached record numbers in 2018, received excellent feedback from parents and the participants, with Jason Stanton, Glenn Brailey, Jillaroo Corban McGregor and Cook Islands World Cup Captain Kiana Takairangi, leading the way as program coaches.
Sharks spreading cultural awareness
Sharks Have Heart threw their support behind a Cultural Awareness day at the Endeavour Sports High School during May.
The day aligned with the Clontarf Foundation's indigenous health check, where indigenous students had access to many external health screening services.
The students then had the opportunity to join local aboriginal elder Aunty Deanna Schreiber and the NRL's School to Work officer Daniel Holdsworth in a painting workshop, where they painted footballs which were thrown out into the crowd by the Glen Dance Group at the round 11 home game as a part of the NRL's Indigenous round celebrations.
The Sharks NRL squad also engaged in a cultural awareness session, led by Aunty Deanna, the artist behind the 2018 Sharks Indigenous jersey. The Sharks wore the specially-designed Indigenous Jersey against the Raiders in round 10 and again the following week when they played the Bulldogs.
Sharks stop by Sutherland Hospital
As a part of the Sharks on-going efforts to engage and interact with the local community, a handful of NRL squad members took time out during May to drop into Sutherland Hospital.
Sharks players Valentine Homes, Scott Sorensen, Braden Uele and Joseph Paulo were welcome guests, with the group meeting the young patients in the children's ward, handing out Sharks items as they went, before paying a visit to one very special, and vocal, Sharks fan in Ryan Cuthill.
The visit to Sutherland Hospital was a part of continuing efforts of Sharks Have Heart, the community arm of the Cronulla Sharks, to engage with the local community.
For more on the Sutherland Hospital visit, CLICK HERE
Sharks partner up with the ADF
A group of 35 Indigenous students from local area schools, many who are involved in the NRL's School to Work program, recently attended an Australian Defence Force recruitment workshop hosted by the Sharks, before taking in a Sharks NRL squad training experience at Southern Cross Group Stadium.
The workshop was designed for students leaving school and entering the workforce in an effort to showcase what the ADF has to offer.
Luke Griffis from the ADF recruitment team led the seminar, which was highlighted by an address from guest speaker Shane Smith, a retired member of the Infantry division of the ADF and now Sharks Football Operations Manager.
Wade Graham and Andrew Fifita took time out to show off to the group the Indigenous jersey the Sharks will play in for the next two weeks, while the entire NRL team posed for photos and signed autographs following the morning training session.
This ADF recruitment seminar reinforced the work the Sharks already do in the Indigenous space, which includes the School 2 Work program, which is funded by the Federal Government, the Reconciliation Action Plan and their support of the NRL's Indigenous round activities.
For more on the Sharks and the ADF partnering up for this special event, CLICK HERE
To support Sharks Have Heart in the delivery and sustainability of their programs and initiatives, donations can be made – CLICK HERE – to help make a difference in the community.
