To celebrate Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander culture, each year the VWFL celebrates an Indigenous Round, which has been named the Kevin Coombs Indigenous Round, in honour of Kevin Coombs OAM and his contributions to disability sport.
The Kevin Coombs Indigenous Round will be played the same weekend as the AFL's Sir Doug Nicholls Round each year, to honour and celebrate indigenous players and culture. Throughout the day there will be a Welcome to Country from a Wurundjeri elder, Indigenous themed jumpers, information in the record, and a playlist of music from Indigenous artists.
Kevin Coombs OAM
Background
Kevin, a popular Wotjobaluk Elder, was Australia’s first Indigenous Paralympian and a founding member of Wheelchair Sports Victoria (The Paravics Sports Club), now known as Disability Sport & Recreation (DSR) in 1960. He continued his involvement with DSR as an athlete, in administration and as a Director for 25 years and finally retired in 2007. Kevin has been awarded Life Membership.
His contributions within wheelchair basketball, where his name is synonymous with the sport, spanned over 50 years as a five time paralympian (including two as Captain of The Rollers), a selector, commissioner and director, and has had the Australia Junior Wheelchair Basketball Championships named in his honor.
Kevin led Australia to a Silver Medal at the 1974 Commonwealth Games, he later retired from National Competition in 1989 after competing in all National Championships since 1960.
He has been a mentor to many people with disability on and off the basketball court. He always has the time to talk to athletes with disability about everything from tactics to equipment and is highly respected by members of the disability sport community.
In 2017, Kevin was inducted as a player into the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame.
Disability advisory roles
This outstanding career and experience has led him to roles on a number of boards and committees relating to disability and aboriginal affairs.
Kevin was the Aboriginal Representative on the Committee for International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD) in 1981. Kevin was invited to join the Disability Advisory Committee for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2002. This committee provided a forum to identify the needs and expectations of people with disability attending and competing at the Commonwealth Games, thus communicating and protecting their rights. He has fostered relationships with influencers and decision makers, keeping the rights of people with disability on the agenda.
He has assisted Disability Sport & Recreation and various indigenous associations and government groups to shape a strategy to encourage the participation of indigenous people with disability in sport.