Cowboys visit St Gerard Majella Primary

Toyota Cowboys second-rower Gavin Cooper shared a sporting secret with students at St Gerard Majella Primary School in Cairns today when he and winger Kalifa Faifai Loa visited as part of Cowboys on Tour 2013.

Asked what sports he played when he was growing up, Coops told the 200 year four to seven students that he was a big fan of netball and his favourite position was goal shooter or goal attack.

“I played plenty of sports growing up in Murgon. It was nearly a different sport every day or night,” Cooper said.

“I was pretty good at netball and played it from around year seven through into high school.

“I enjoyed it and then decided to concentrate on footy later on.

“The important thing is to make sure you’re doing some exercise, whether it’s playing a sport or something else.”

Cowboys development officer Aaron Payne talked to the students about the NRL’s Tackle Bullying campaign, which highlights the importance of making sure you tell someone if you are being bullied.

As part of the BHP Billiton Cannington Try Time! program, he also discussed healthy eating and healthy living and, with the help of his two former teammates, handed out some signed Try Time! footballs, water bottles, Cowboys team posters and tickets to Saturday night’s pre-season trial against St George Illawarra at Barlow Park.

Day 2 of the Cairns visit saw North Queensland’s NRL squad split up to visit 13 schools in the region, accompanied by members of the Cowboys, QRL and Northern Pride development teams.