Forest Lions Junior Football Club president Ken Johnston is a proud supporter of the Swans Friendly Clubs program.

The Forest Lions are one of 51 clubs already signed up to the program, which aims to strengthen relationships between the Sydney Swans and local football clubs across New South Wales.

Swans Friendly Clubs provides local clubs with access to discounted ticket rates for large groups attending home games, access to the Swans Friendly Clubs SCG clinic and an assigned current Swans player as a local club ambassador.

The Forest Lions, who have been a part of the program since its inception in 2012, have enjoyed all the benefits of their alliance with the Swans, and Johnston said the ambassador visit was one of the highlights of being a Swans Friendly Club.

“We had the players out at the start of the season and we’ve had that since even before the Swans Friendly Clubs came into inception and it is wonderful,” he said.

“Ryan O’Keefe and a younger player came out and everyone absolutely raved about the quality of the guys who came and how much time they took and just how nice they were with the kids.”

The club president added that the SCG visit, which allowed attendees to watch a Sydney Swans training session before taking to the field for a clinic hosted by the players, was another fantastic experience for his club.

“It was an absolutely wonderful experience for the kids to get out and train with the Sydney Swans,” he said.

“They loved the fact that they felt important and some of the Swans players and particularly Adam Goodes were just brilliant with the kids.

“The kids feel like he knows them and even the Auskickers come off and told everyone that Adam Goodes gave them a high five and they’ve got a real connection because of that.”

After one successful season on board, Johnston encouraged all local clubs to sign on with the Swans this season.

“More than anything what it does is it enables our kids and the club itself to feel like we belong to something greater,” Johnston said about the program.

“You’re not just a small suburban football club, you’re part of the great Sydney AFL scene and you’re a valued part of it.

“You get to develop your kids, not just in terms of football, but as human beings because they’re exposed to good quality people through it.”

To have your club registered as a Swans Friendly Club, speak to your committee today about registering for the program. Clubs can find out more information and register via the link on the program’s webpage here.