From left, Evie, Sasha, Zara, Lily, Alexis, Jayden, Kye and Xaviar in their jerseys. Picture: SYLVIA LIBER
The St George Illawarra Dragons may be out of this year's NRL competition, but they are number one at Koonawarra Community Preschool.
The playground was a blur of red and white jerseys, footy socks and caps yesterday as the kids celebrated Footy Colours Day.
The annual fundraiser for the Fight Cancer Foundation is held on the first Friday in September, but the Koonawarra kids take part in fun footy activities all week.
Five-year-old Ty Emerton was among those decked out in Dragons gear, and he was busy undertaking footy drills, kicking goals and tackling his pint-sized playmates.
"I love the Dragons because sometimes they win," he said, earnestly. "My favourite player is Jamie Soward because he kicks more better."
Siblings Evie and Matt Green were among the minority sporting the colours of opposing footy teams.
"Manly is my favourite," Evie, 4, said. "They're mummy and daddy's favourites, and my brother's too."
Preschool director Karen Gottaas said the kids always got into the spirit of Footy Colours Day, no doubt spurred on by footy fanatics in their families.
"Over the week we have about 110 children participating in all sorts of footy activities," she said. "We construct goalposts and run footy drills and the kids have a lot of fun - I think a lot of parents enjoy dressing them up in their favourite team's colours too."
There is of course a more serious side to the day, and Ms Gottaas said through parents' donations, the school hoped to match the $400 they made at last year's event to help fight cancer.
"Many of our enrolled families and staff members have been touched by cancer," she said.
"This is our fourth year participating in Footy Colours Day supporting the Fight Cancer Foundation, a registered charity dedicated to providing care, treatment and support for cancer patients and their families as well as providing funds for research," Ms Gottaas said.
The preschoolers have joined thousands of Australians running Footy Colours Day fundraising activities across the nation.
Participants show their true colours whatever the code - AFL, NRL, rugby union or soccer.
To make a donation and for more information visit www.footycoloursday.com.au.
