Oasis Magazine - Cairns & Tropical North Queensland Issue 31 - Aug | Sep 2019 | Page 30
BILLY’S BUDDIES
Billy’s Buddies is the brainchild of Billy Slater - former
Melbourne Storm, Queensland, and Australian Rugby
League superstar. Billy’s Buddies is a non-contact ball
sports program for boys and girls ages 2 to 6 years old.
The program began in Brisbane in 2016 and has since
grown to more than 280 locations across Brisbane,
the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Sydney, and most
recently, Cairns.
Billy’s Buddies, written by Billy Slater in conjunction
with an Early Childhood Teacher and Exercise Sports
Scientist, is not just about Rugby League. It’s about
learning the fundamentals of all ball sports in a fun,
safe, and exciting environment.
Each week, Billy’s Buddies runs theme-based
sessions that focus on developing children’s social
skills while also teaching them the fundamentals of
not only Rugby League, but ball sports in general. It
is the goal of Billy’s Buddies to empower all children
who participate in their program by assisting with
30 | www.oasismagazine.com.au
developing their confidence, self-esteem, hand-eye
coordination, and gross motor skills. Billy’s Buddies
wants children to become great team players and learn
the important of teamwork, just like Billy himself.
The program is offered across childcare centres as an
extracurricular activity to complement their learning
plan and to children of the general public through the
Billy’s Buddies Park Session and Junior Rugby League
Club programs.
Billy’s Buddies was recently awarded the Best
National Pre-Schooler Activity at the 2019 What’s On
4 Kids Awards, and in 2018 was named runner-up as
the Best National Toddler Activity.
Kate Macrae and her husband Andrew Fey started the
Cairns franchise in February 2019. Kate has 10 years
experience working in junior sport, having previously
worked for Surf Life Saving and Little Athletics
Queensland. Kate and Andrew complement each