Queensland’s Mackay Wanderers were the lucky winners of a training session with Australian football legend Archie Thompson after taking out the prize in a recent ALDI MiniRoos Kick-Off competition.

Thompson flew into Mackay last week to help the club’s youngsters enjoy their weekly run-out with Wanderers President Tania Wood.

“It’s great to see so many young children here having fun with a football,” Thompson said.

“There is no better way for children to learn new skills and stay healthy than getting a ball out and playing with their friends.”

ALDI MiniRoos Kick-Off is a Football Federation Australia designed program that introduces children aged from four to nine to the world’s favourite game.

The program includes free equipment and coaching resources as well as a centralised registration system run by the FFA.

“We have been running the program for four years now and it’s been a great success,” Wood said.

“The children love their football and when they move up to the under-fives and under-sixes the coaches are happy because they are already able to use the ball and they listen!”

Mackay Wanderers won the competition by entering a prize draw and running an ALDI MiniRoos Kick-Off program during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the recent FIFA World Cup.