Mark Horran and his ‘Impact Team’ of former elite athletes from rugby league, soccer and boxing has been visiting schools in Broken Hill and surrounding towns, including Menindee and Wilcannia, this past week.
They say they bring a message of hope and wellbeing to children in schools that are often otherwise overlooked due to their remoteness.
Mr Horran, founder and director of the Impact Team program, told us, “the idea is that we go out and host free clinics in outback areas where possibly no one else has gone, just as a gift to the community”.
Part mental health seminar and part sports clinic, the program includes physical training, how to eat well, how to look after your mind, and a lot of inspiring discussions from the sporting stars Mr Horran brings with him who are all about “living the dream”.
There are no prima donnas amongst this bunch. They all are fully committed to the cause. For this trip they were put up at the Impact Centre on Oxide St, thanks to the generosity of local couples Maryanne and David Trinder, along with Andrea and Irving Blundell.
The sporting stars of yesteryear involved in the program include big names from the Rugby League sphere including Mick Ostini, Mickey Paea, and Charles Tonga, as well as former Socceroos’ international Gerry Gomez.
All four paid homage to Mark Horran. Words such as mentor, spiritual guide, and even marriage celebrant were bandied about when we spoke to the guys during their lunch break at North Broken Hill Primary School.
“I met Mark when I was playing with the Bulldogs, or maybe the Roosters, and he has been a mentor, spiritual guide and great friend,” former international coach of the Tongan Rugby league side Charles Tonga told the Barrier Truth.
“He [Mark] got the vision to come out here 20 years ago, maybe more, and we are all just honoured to be here and carry on with that vision.”
“These kids were me when I was growing up. It’s all about giving back to the community”
The group have visited no less than six schools.
In White Cliffs, the school Principal told Mark, he says, “no-one has visited us in such a long time.”
In Wilcannia they started a soccer team.
This team carries a message of inspiration and they hope they change kids lives for the good everywhere they go.
