The Footy Almanac and my Kids

About a month ago after coming home in the morning after a quick work out at the local gym I entered my bedroom to see this sight.

Sons

Here are my two boys Henry (the youngest) on the left and William (my eldest) on the right reading different copies of the Footy Almanac. My wife Tori said that when they got up they asked where Dad’s footy books were because they wanted to read them. You see, both my boys love looking at the Footy Almanac and doing the following:

  • Reading about the games that they had watch on TV and as they are reading the book saying things like “I remember this game Dad. This is when Franklin kick 13 goals” or “look at this game Dad. This is when Melbourne upset Essendon”
  • Getting the Almanac out and looking at who beat who and then working out (with their footy cards) what the table would have been at the end of that round, and once they have finished, seeing if it is the same as the ladder in the Almanac.

The Footy Almanac also has helped with my sons with their English and Maths. They will look at the back of the book and see whether the authors are in the correct alphabetical order. They will look at each game and try to work out what the winning margins were, which has helped them develop their subtraction skills. They read the reports asking how to say certain words they cannot sound out, increasing their vocabulary. They will look at the scores of each team at quarter, half and three quarter time and work out how many points a team would have if they had scored 5 goals 4 points etc; and then which team was in front at the break and by how much.

To me the Footy Alamanac has not just been a book that has enabled me to have a go at sports writing but an educational tool for my sons. Maybe Harmsey and Co should have a chat to Christopher Pyne to get the Footy Almanac into every school in Australia for teachers to use as an educational resource.

So it was no surprise this morning after I had been to the Adelaide Footy Almanac 2013 launch last night to see my son Henry below:

Henry

Long live the Almanac and the next generation of Almanackers

About Andrew Weiss

Andrew is one of the few Brisbane Lions supporters that lives in the Adelaide Hills. He still has bragging rights over any Crows or Port supporter by mentioning the back to back to back premierships the Lions achieved in 2001-2003. After playing for over a decade for the mighty Adelaide Lutheran Football Club better known as 'The Doggies' he now spends his Saturdays running around footy ovals as an umpire, getting abuse no matter what decision is made. Coaching is probably next on the agenda as his two sons have started to play the great game of AFL. Andrew is a sports fanatic who when not watching or reading about sport is teaching secondary students about Biology, Nutrition and Psychology.

Comments

  1. Cat ftom the Country says

    Wonderful to see the love of books so young. Good stuff.
    Imagine reading rates if the Almanac was in schools!

  2. Malcolm Ashwood says

    Fantastic Andrew great to catch up last night and I am truly envious that you have 2 boys so keen on footy and the Almanac! The only remote comparison I have is bringing raffle money home and having my boys count it, and then teachers saying how advanced they were in counting – but you have taken it to a extra level! Funny though how if you can bring something which kids enjoy how much they do actually learn.
    Mind you applies to all of us really.
    Thanks Andrew.

  3. Love it.

  4. A Weiss – 10/10 – gold star and an early mark tomorrow – to take H Weiss and W Weiss – silver stars with oak leaf clusters – for double scoops with chocolate sprinkles.
    T Weiss – sympathies and lots of Wonder Soaker for the Monday morning grass and mud stains. Purple Heart (extra large) – with cuppa and extra tiny teddies.
    Regards from Lauren and Anna’s Uncle in Perth (your dad taught them at Cornerstone College – Lauren is now a dietician and Anna is studying marine biology – your dad must be clever for a Lions supporter.)

  5. Love the images of your boys lying up in bed with their books and not iPads or game consoles (even though I am writing this comment on an iPad).

    And you are quite right in your observations of your kids picking up on both the literary and the mathematical aspects in these books. I particularly like the way The Almanac entwines creative flair with the dryer side of sport; it makes for far more engaging reading.

  6. Mickey Randall says

    Andrew- That’s an excellent and unexpected benefit of the Almanac. Another reason for me to get excited about collecting it in a few day’s time, when we get home to Adelaide. My boys are just getting into footy- they’ll start Auskick here in Singapore in the new year, and the Almanac may just inspire them, and also improve their literacy and numeracy.
    I can’t imagine that Christopher Pyne would be interested in a book as egalitarian, universally loved, and 2013 as the Almanac.

  7. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    I can’t imagine that Christopher Pyne would be interested in a book

  8. This is great.
    Wait til they start writing haiku!

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