Brazil picture special: Richmond players plan redemption for finals exit during cultural exchange in Rio Jon Ralph
From: Herald Sun
October 16, 2013 10:00PMEACH morning this week Dan Jackson and his teammates have pounded Brazil's beaches in the hopes of exorcising September’s finals loss.
By day they have plunged deep into Rio de Janeiro’s notorious favelas to foster links with street kids once actively involved in violent crime.
Nine Tigers including Jackson, Jake King, Alex Rance and Reece Conca, plus two teens from the club’s Punt Road indigenous institute, have taken part in an "alternate" football trip.
It is the third of the "Deepend" journeys organised by Melbourne leadership consultant Pippa Grange, and serves a dual purpose.
Not only will the Tigers return with a better understanding of the power of sport in positive cultural change, they will harden their bodies for the pre-season ahead.
Best-and-fairest winner Jackson said the shock elimination final loss to Carlton had him welcoming the coming pre-season for the first time in his life.
“It was a tough loss, but losing that game in front of that crowd of 96,000, it just left me with this absolute desire to get better and I know the team has the same burning feeling. We are not going to let that happen again," he said.
“If we had won that game people would have patted us on the back and we might have been content. Our year was certainly a success, but we have got this burning hunger. I have never looked forward to a preseason starting but I want to improve my flaws.
"There is a beach gym at the end of the street and the guys are out running on the beach. Kingy went and found a proper gym and paid to sign up. So every morning we train before we do everything else."
The Tiger players and assistant coach Wayne Campbell have linked with a series of formerly troubled kids from the slums in a project also being studied by RMIT.
Jackson says the daily incursions have been fascinating yet also incredibly confronting.
"It is all about using sport to get social inclusion happening.
"We don’t speak their language, we aren’t good soccer players, and we certainly can’t dance, but we have got this great rapport. We have heard these amazing stories about guys who led gangs and were involved in murders and drug dealing and now they are out of it getting schooling and playing soccer.
"We walked through a favela the other day with a guy sitting there with a towel wrapped around his shoulders and an AK 47 (machine gun) on his lap.
"There are lots of dodgy parts and we pulled over in one part and the group taking us through said you can’t bring in cameras. Someone had just been shot.
"These places are run by militia or drug cartels but they know the organisation we are with does such great work for their kids so they are allowed right of passage. They know they are helping their kids getting better health and education outcomes."
Richmond CEO Brendon Gale said the trip, part-funded by Karoon Gas, was the perfect eye-opener for his young leaders.
"Richmond is continually looking for new and innovative ways to develop its players and this trip to Rio provides them with a wonderful opportunity," he said.
Daniel Jackson and Alex Rance spread the Richmond gospel in Brazil. Picture: Lincoln Creak
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/picture-special-richmond-players-exorcise-finals-demons-in-brazil/story-fndv8t7m-1226741147887
