Desert league a possibility, says EKFL president
A $250,000 Federal government grant towards East Kimberley football could see the creation of a desert community competition.
Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin yesterday announced the money will be used to further develop football in the region.
The money comes via a partnership between the AFL, the West Australian Football Commission and the Federal government. Currently, $200,000 per year is provided for football in the Kimberley.
East Kimberley Football League president Wayne Paul yesterday said the $250,000 could be used to appoint a regional development officer. As it stands, there is just one RDO covering the entire Kimberley -- the size of Victoria -- and he's based in Broome on the coast.
"This is great for footy," Paul said. "(The money) could be used to employ a RDO in the region over a three-year period."
Paul said the EKFL, which operates out of Kununurra, is 'about 75 per cent Indigenous'. The league has teams from Warmun and Halls Creek joining those in Kununurra and Wyndham. The league is expecting Timber Creek, just over the Northern Territory border, to return for the 2009 season (they played in 2007). Last year's premiers was the Halls Creek Hawks.
The EKFL has a pre-season competition which attracts several community teams. This is an area that needs assistance.
"To me, the biggest challenge, and potential (for football), is in the communities," Paul said. "You've got Balgo, Ringer Soak, Billiluna... Balgo has three community teams and they're 250km from Halls Creek on a goat track. So I guess an RDO could go and start looking at a development plan and maybe look at setting up a desert competition."
Another area key to football's future in the region is junior football; there is none outside school and Auskick. The money could be used to develop something after that.
"You've got Auskick, school footy and Clontarf (Football Academy)," Paul said. "After that, you've got kids 14 and 15 years old playing senior footy.
"There's kids up here that could make AFL but they just won't go. We've had (former Ord River Magpie) Carl Peterson drafted (Richmond and Hawthorn) and Liam Bedford (Geelong and West Coast) as well but there's so many kids here that don't play footy."
Sport a powerful role
IN announcing the funding, Minister for Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin said sport can play a powerful role in enhancing opportunities for young Indigenous people.
"The program has the potential to provide new pathways for young Indigenous people in some of the most disadvantaged communities in Australia," she said.
AFL general manager of national and international development David Matthews welcomed the Australian Government's announcement.
"The AFL shares the Australian Government's goal of closing the gap for Indigenous Australians," he said.
"Some 87,000 Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people participate in Australian Football programs and their passion for the game is reflected at the highest level with 82 Indigenous players currently on AFL club lists.
"In partnership with the Australian Government, Australian Football can continue to play a significant role in areas of health, education and leadership throughout the Kimberley region and wider Indigenous communities."
DARREN MONCRIEFF
Info@AboriginalFootball.com.au
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Last Modified on 08/01/2009 01:05