SEDA College student Tristan Kendall has been recognised with the AFL regional award for his work through his senior years of high school and, it’s safe to say, there wasn’t anyone more deserving.
SEDA College – an alternate senior school program with 35 classes across Victoria alone – partners with a number of different national and state sporting organisations including Netball Victoria, Cricket Australia, Basketball Victoria, Melbourne Victory (soccer) and, of course, the AFL.
While Kendall volunteered at a range of sports and events through opportunities offered by SEDA, the 17-year-old’s countless hours involved with AFL programs and clinics has had him rewarded.
Despite having to trek across country Victoria and to the suburbs of Melbourne by bus or train out of his home town of Nathalia, Kendall would throw his hat in the ring for any opportunity offered his way, and his keenness was quickly taken note of by teacher Katie Heard.
“The partnership awards are nominated by the staff in every region and then based upon the level of effort and interaction in the way that the students positively impacted the partnership in the region,” Heard said.
“That determines whether or not they're successful in actually winning it.
“So you can imagine, there's hundreds of other students across the college that are also nominated for these sorts of awards, but the ones that go really above and beyond are looked at for the official award at the end of the year.”
A quick glance at Kendall’s SEDA resume and it’s clear to see why Heard nominated the teenager for the award.
In Kendall’s first week of Year 11 he volunteered with AFL Victoria three times at different events, all before students had settled into the SEDA curriculum.
“He basically didn’t stop after that,” Heard said.
Kendall reflected he had completed hundreds of hours of volunteer work, some locally, but other opportunities have included work with multiple AFL and AFLW clubs too.
His dedication and commitment was impossible to ignore.
“The award Tristan has received is through his extra efforts outside of the program,” Heard said.
“He's provided the opportunity through the program, but he's chased those opportunities.
“He was always doing extra events and extra work to promote and positively impact the partnerships.”
“I put in over 200 hours this year alone and last year, I think it would have been pretty similar with volunteering hours, so through those efforts, I think that's what got me the award,” Kendall said.
“I've worked with Essendon men’s and women's, Richmond, Carlton women's and North Melbourne, those are just a handful of the ones.”
The award was handed to Kendall at his graduation ceremony held in front of hundreds of Victorian SEDA graduating students and hundreds more parents, family members and friends of the class of 2025 at Melbourne Exhibition Convention Centre.
As for what’s next post-school, there’s plenty on the horizon for the burgeoning graduate.
An opportunity with AFL Goulburn Murray beckons though, all due to the hard yards put in during his schooling.
“I've got a few different options (post-school). I'm either thinking about the army, maybe personal training, but I've got a job with AFL Goulburn Murray once I turn 18, so I'll probably use that,” Kendall said.
And with a wealth of experience under his belt, there’s no doubt his post-schooling career will be off to a flying start.