Over 400 students are expected to participate in the Adelaide Football Club’s inaugural Next Generation Academy School Carnivals later in the year.

The Club has launched a Primary and Secondary School Carnival program to be held in Terms 2 and 3 of the school year to engage with children from cultural backgrounds who are under-represented in the AFL system.

The carnivals aim to identify and encourage students within the Club’s four SANFL-aligned zones to pursue their footballing dreams.

The winning schools at each carnival will play off for the inaugural Adelaide Crows Next Generation Academy Shield at Football Park on August 15 (Primary level) and May 30 (Secondary).

Crows Next Generation Academy Coordinator Jarrod Meers said the initiative was another important step in the continued growth of the Club’s Next Gen Academy.

"Hopefully this new concept allows the Adelaide Football Club to unearth our next talented footballer to join our Crows Academy Talent Squad,” Meers said.

“From there we hope to help give many young footballers a springboard to embark on a career at the highest level - hopefully one day in a Crows guernsey."

“It’s also a fantastic way to encourage young people to get involved with our great game and improve their skills.”

Click here for more information of the Next Generation School Carnivals and the Crows Next Generation Academy.