While the build up to season 2003 gathers momentum, the Essendon players have still found some time to teach some of the young Sydneysiders some of the finer points of Australian Rules Football. In the past two days Essendon players have visited 30 schools in the region and talked football with more than 3500 children. And on top of the school visits came some hospital visits where the players put a smile on the faces of some serioulsy ill children.

Six players visited the Sydney Children's Hospital yesterday - Mark Mercuri, Mark McVeigh, David Hille, Courtney Johns, Adrian Wilson and Jason Winderlich. The players walked around the wards talking to children and parents, posing for photos and signing autographs. Children's hospitals can be desolate places but there we plenty of smiles when the Essendon players arrived.

The six players finished their visits by heading to the Starlight Room and starring in a 30-minute in-house television show. Mark McVeigh was soundly beaten in a Nintendo Challenge and Courtney Johns was beaten at cards but there were plenty of laughs along the way.

The six players then joined Captain Starlight on stage to sing and dance to the captain Starlight song. The dancing wasn't great but the kids loved every minute of it. We are not sure if it is a good or bad thing that we can't provide you with any video footage of the players' performance!

On top of the recent Bendigo camp, Essendon supporters can be very proud of the time and effort the players have put into getting invovled in these community events.