2008 Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarship applications now open

13 Jul 2007 - Jason Murnane

The 12 months scholarships are available to young footballers, aged 15 - 17 Australia wide.
Since the scholarships inception in 2001, over $250,000 has been distributed to 57 young players to support their academic and football aspirations.

Around 60% of Mike Fitzpatrick scholarship recipients have gone on to be drafted by an AFL club.

Now Chairman of the AFL Commission, Mike Fitzpatrick played 150 games for Carlton between 1975 - 76 and 1978 -1983 and captained the club's back to back 1981 and 1982 premiership sides.  Mike took leave from professional football in 1975 to study a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford University.  Upon completion of his studies, Mike resumed his career with Carlton to Captain the club from 1980 to 1983.

Formerly Managing Director & founder of Hastings Funds Management Limited, Mike has held positions with Merrill Lynch New York, the Victorian Treasury & Telecom Australia.  The former Carlton director and Chairman of the Australian Sports Commission was also Vice-President of the AFL Players' Association in the early 1980s.

Application forms are distributed throughout the State Leagues and during the Under 16 Championships each year. 

St Kilda's Xavier Clarke, who received a scholarship in 2001, said, "Receiving the Mike Fitzpatrick scholarship gave me the chance to complete Year 12 and helped with my travel commitments.  It's a great initiative by the PA, helping young kids combine football & study."

AFL Players' Association General Manager - Player Development Steve Alessio said, "The Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarship underlines a key aim of the AFLPA which is to reinforce the value of a balanced life on and off the field."

"The scholarships are a way of encouraging young players to complete their schooling while giving them every chance of succeeding in football," Alessio said.

Previous Mike Fitzpatrick scholarship recipients include;
Xavier Clarke (St Kilda); Jimmy Bartel (Geelong); Raph Clarke (St Kilda); Beau Waters (West Coast); Ryan Griffin (Western Bulldogs); Cameron Wood (Brisbane); Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), Wayde Mills (Brisbane), Travis Varcoe (Geelong), Marcus Drum (Fremantle), Patrick Ryder (Essendon), Bachar Houli (Essendon), Joel Selwood (Geelong), Lachlan Hansen (Kangaroos).

Mike Fitzpatrick with former Mike Fitzpatrick scholarship holder and current Geelong player Troy Selwood

	2008 Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarship Application Form 216kb