Swift action helps teen kick goals

Logan Village 13-year-old Ryder Burnham figured he had nothing to lose by writing to his local councillor to ask for a simple upgrade in his local park.

And Division 4 Councillor Nathan St Ledger was quick to respond, to the delight of the footy-mad teenager.

Ryder and his friends, Riley and Jimbo, regularly kick a rugby league ball around in Towns Avenue Park.

‘I reached out to Cr St Ledger because we talked about how good it would be if we had lines painted down there to help us practise our conversion kicks at more accurate distances,’ Ryder says.

‘When we got his reply several hours later, I was stoked.’

Cr St Ledger, also a keen football fan, was happy to help out by getting several lines painted in Towns Avenue Park.

He also gave Ryder a special mention at a recent Council meeting.

‘Staying active by playing in your local park is far healthier than sitting at home on a device,’ Cr St Ledger says.

‘Ryder says he would love to play for the Broncos one day and I hope these footy lines help support that dream and make him an even better kicker for his local club.’

Ryder says the new lines have ‘helped out heaps’. And even if his footy dream doesn’t work out, he has a backup plan.

‘I’d like to join the Defence Force and pursue a career in mechanics,’ he says.

Photo at top: Cr St Ledger and Ryder Burnham in Towns Avenue Park at Logan Village.