Over 50 children from across Victoria will gather at Etihad Stadium for the event, which coincides with the celebration of Indigenous Round. The Krakouer brothers will also be in attendance for the launch.
Thomas, the academy ambassador has been an integral part of the planning and organisation of the program.
"One of my passions is giving back to the indigenous community and being in the privileged position that I'm in I also feel like it's one of my duties," Thomas told the Herald Sun’s Warrick Green.
"We'll have kids travelling down from places like Ballarat, Ararat and Shepparton, and we'll run footy and netball programs but also reinforce the importance of staying in school and getting an education, having some discipline in your life, diet and some of those lifestyle things.”
The Academy is designed for boys and girls aged 11-14 years old to hone their skills with Thomas and netballer Geva Mentor from the Melbourne Vixens. They’ll also be taught some important life lessons.
"We want to get the kids at an age where we can influence them," Thomas added.
"Probably 11-14 is the age where they're making decisions about whether to go down a good road or a bad one. It's helping them on a step towards that sporting dream but it's also about making sure their life is on track and understanding some of the things you need to do to succeed in life."
Aaron Clark, the indigenous programs manager at AFL Victoria praised Thomas for his willingness to give back and put time into other young people.
"...Lindsay, to his credit, decided early in his career that he wanted to do something in this area,” he said.
"He carries a pretty strong legacy at North Melbourne Football Club, with indigenous players like the Krakouer’s, Barry Cable, Daniel Wells…. I think the academy fills a bit of an age-group gap that we had in our pathway in Victoria.
Clark praised North and The Huddle for being innovators in community outreach, especially in the area of Indigenous and multicultural programs.
"The Huddle is a great asset, and I think it's a pretty good business case, to be honest. You have high-functioning individuals at your football club, including indigenous people, then it brings enormous benefit to your club as a whole."
