FORTY-NINE indigenous boys from across Australia met Olympic champion Cathy Freeman and football luminary Kevin Sheedy on Wednesday as part of the annual Qantas AFL KickStart camp.

The boys underwent AIS and AFL high performance testing at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, on the first of a five-day camp dedicated to teaching leadership and life skills.

Players aged 14 and 15 years were selected based on their potential to reach the elite level, in addition to a commitment to regular school attendance and displaying leadership attributes.

Sheedy welcomed the KickStart program as a continuation of the promotion of indigenous footballers.

"We’ve struck gold with the indigenous players," the former Essendon coach said.

"You think you’re a coach and then you get some really wonderfully talented people and they actually teach you how to coach often, the freakish sort of players.

"I mean, indigenous players, they don’t need a compass and a protractor. They know the angle coming into the goals. And it’s quite amazing."

Athletics star and Qantas KickStart patron Freeman said she hoped to be a valuable role model for the players, who represented the next crop of leaders in their communities.

"I’m very proud to be here today," she said. "Sometimes in moments you take for granted the impact that you have on that person and hopefully I’ll have an impact, a positive one, on the boys today.

"Whether they like it or not, they’re having a positive impact on me already just by being here and choosing to be here with us all."

Freeman said gaining the trust of elders within indigenous communities was vital in allowing football to have a positive influence.

"It’s a little bit frightening at first because trust is a bit of an issue, given the not-so-positive history," she said.

"I can tell you stories where my grandparents, for example, there is no way they could have been given this wonderful opportunity that people of my generation enjoy."

Player welfare and development through like-minded programs was an integral part of helping young indigenous players make the transition into AFL ranks.

"Sporting performance side of things is usually a direct result of how they are within themselves anyway – I mean I know that just from personal experience as an athlete as well," she said.

The Qantas KickStart squad will participate in a variety of team training and personal development sessions, culminating in an intra-squad curtain raiser at the MCG ahead of the clash between Richmond and Essendon on Saturday.