In every football club, whether at a grassroots or elite level, individual families come together with a common dream to create a new community of support and passion.

The football family is a bond like no other, a roller coaster of wins, losses and collective experiences.

The last weekend in January saw family members of each of the six 2016 draftees come together to acquaint themselves with the Gold Coast, Metricon Stadium and the people their sons will see day-in day-out in their AFL journey.

Player Development Manager, Michelle Mitchell OAM, told goldcoastfc.com.au that family was a cornerstone of the SUNS.

“Family week is about bringing all the families together, we see at the Gold Coast SUNS that families are just [as] important as the players,” Mrs Mitchell said.

“It’s an opportunity for them to get to know each other and it’s also an opportunity for them to see the environment that the players are in.

“They really get to see what its like to be an AFL player in this environment.”

Part of that environment is hearing from the key personnel at the club, and family members were able to gain insight into what their sons will experience in their first year of AFL.

Senior Coach Rodney Eade spoke of the dedication it takes to carve a career in elite football and that talent aside, success comes down to perseverance and going the extra mile in training.

Family members were also able to gain valuable insights from GM Football Operations Marcus Ashcroft, CEO Andrew Travis and Head of People, Culture and Psychology – Football Darren Everett.

Ruth Kimpton, more affectionately known as Touk’s mum, brought tears to a few eyes as she recounted her experience of coming into the SUNS family and Touk’s journey through his first two seasons of AFL.

“Ruthie is a special person, like all of our family members, and she’s really given them an understanding that all the emotions that they’re feeling are really quite normal,” Mitchell said.

“She just acknowledges that there are bumps and hurdles along the way and it’s all real and it’s all normal.”

To further add to the emotion of the weekend, family members were able to see their son’s name on their locker space, a significant moment in fulfilling their dream to play AFL at the highest level.

“They watch it on telly, watch their kids come through the younger age group system and then this is the dream,” Mitchell said.

“As Rocket [Rodney Eade] said this is only the start of it, they haven’t made it yet, but to go through that change room and see their son’s name, because their son’s fulfilled a dream, as a parent, that a little bit of the pinnacle.”

As has become tradition within the wider SUNS administration, each family was presented with a player guernsey commemorating the date they were welcomed into the SUNS family.