Multicultural teams kick goals for community harmony

The goal is to celebrate diversity and bring together communities so what better than two teams playing a game of AFL football in the name of the Harmony Cup?

01 July 2011

The next three weeks will see members of the Edmund Rice Centre (ERC) Lions, a team of newly arrived young people mostly from African backgrounds, prepare to take on the Balga Detached Bombers, a predominantly Aboriginal team, in a showdown where on side will claim the cup but both will ultimately be winners.

“After a bad loss in 2010, the boys really want to take the cup this year. The 2010 players are really getting behind them, but whatever happens, the experience of a big day like this will remain with them for the rest of their lives,” said Team Manager Joe Moniodis.

“The team has had real success in engaging young people who may be marginalised and has a good mix of skilled and inexperienced players. We have been able to break down negative perceptions by showing the wider community that these boys love footy as well.”

The ERC Lions are living proof of the power of sport and recreation to break down cultural and ethnic barriers. The team was formed just over a year ago to develop the leadership qualities of newly arrived young people in Mirrabooka and encourage them to be positive role models participating in, and serving, their community through sport.

“Players are only allowed to play for one season, and then have to move on to coaching and mentoring roles or into local clubs in order to aid their integration into Australian society. We have had tremendous help from our 2010 players and seven of them joined clubs in the area”, Joe said.

The team is coached and captained by the Sports Team of the Edmund Rice Centre Mirrabooka Youth Leadership Group and supported by the likes of the WA Football Commission, the Department of Sport and Recreation, City of Stirling and the Office of Multicultural Interests.

Head Coach Peter Ajang and Assistant Reuben Riak were past players from 2010 and now play for Kingsway Football Club.

“Coaching helps me to improve my leadership skills and express myself in front of others,” Reuben said.

“We have been doing lots of coaching training and I have learned much more about footy through being a coach.”

This year, they are joined by 15-year-old Bella Ndayikeze, believed to be the first African female AFL coach. Peter and Reuben have coached clinics in the Mirrabooka area for young people from Indigenous and refugee backgrounds while Bella is running AFL clinics as part of a multisport program in Butler. The three are in the process of completing their Level 1 coaching accreditation and underwent three months of preparation at the beginning of the year.

The team has had an amazing journey in 2011, including playing against Kingsway Football Club in a curtain raiser at Subiaco Oval. Asked about the experience, Reuben said, “it was great coaching on Subiaco Oval. I was nervous because the other coaches were older and more experienced, but we did well in the end, and only lost because of our own poor kicking.”

You too can do your bit for community harmony by getting on down to the Harmony Cup match and cheering the boys on.

“There will be entertainment for the kids, giveaways and a sausage sizzle, so bring the family and come down and support this great team while doing your bit for harmony in our community,” Joe said.

Harmony Cup details:
Edmund Rice Centre Lions v Balga Detached Bombers

Friday 15 July at 10am

Barry Britton Reserve, Balga Avenue, Balga