The heritage of Australian Rules Football met the future of the game last week when 165 students took part in the AFL Victoria State Secondary Schools Multicultural Cup at Victoria Park.
The inaugural Cup was created to build upon the Multicultural Schools Program delivered at secondary schools across the state as well as assisting youth from multicultural communities to access Australian Rules Football as a player.
AFL Multicultural Development Officers from Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Richmond and Western Bulldogs football clubs each invited a girl’s and boys’ team from their region to represent that area in the state competition.
11 groups participated on the day from seven schools, including Keilor Downs College, Australian International Academy (AIA), Simonds College, Sunshine College, Charles LaTrobe College, Mt Hira College and Minaret College.
The Australian International Academy and Sunshine College competed in both the boys and girls Grand Finals, with AIA victorious in each.
The competition was run using the Cadbury AFL 9s official alternative version of the game. AFL9s has been developed so that everyone has the opportunity to compete in Australian Rules Football as it is easier to play, less physically demanding and is a game where participation, enjoyment and safety are a priority.
During the day, each team experienced a bye which provided the opportunity for AFL SportsReady to conduct sessions with each school. Participants were informed of the support, education and employment prospects that are available to them if they wish to be involved in the industry.
The competition has assisted in developing and supporting appropriate career and sporting pathways for the students and also serves as an alternative channel for participants from multicultural backgrounds to progress into community clubs.
Click here to view more photos from the event.
Last Modified on 12/09/2012 16:42