By Kirstie Fitzgerald
While he may be the first Sudanese born player to play AFL, Majak Daw hasn’t forgotten where his football career started, taking time out of his busy schedule to visit a new Multicultural Auskick clinic in Wyndham.
Created in conjunction with the North Melbourne Football Club and AFL Victoria, the Werribee Football Club saw the need to establish a pathway for members of the community born overseas or who speak English as a second language to participate in football.
“The Werribee Football Club was keen to engage newly arrived families in the community with football, particularly young children who otherwise may not have had the opportunity or resources to get involved at a local club,” Werribee Football Club Community Development Manager Chris Gallagher said.
“The Auskick centre is a great opportunity for families of low social economic status to experience playing football and get involved in the wider community.”
Commencing at the start of May, the free seven week program is run from 3:15pm every Monday afternoon at Wyndham Park Primary School.
Already attracting 25 students aged from 6-12 years old, the centre teaches children the fundamentals of the game while encouraging participation.
“The feedback from the school has been fantastic and to see the smiles on the kids’ faces is really rewarding,” Gallagher said.
Last Monday, AFL star Majak Daw came down to pass on his experience and lend a hand in running the clinics alongside Werribee’s Multicultural Development Officer and Werribee District player Majok “Shaggy” Ngong.
“Shaggy has been fantastic in running the program and connects really well with the kids,” Gallagher said.
“Like Majak, Shaggy was also born in Southern Sudan, and is not only a talented footballer, but really relates to the kids having been in their shoes himself growing up and developing his own pathways into football.”
At the end of the seven week program the students will have the opportunity to transition into the Glen Orden Football Club’s Auskick program.
“Once the program is complete, the Glen Orden Auskick coordinator will come down to the last training session and talk to the families about joining up to the football club where the kids can continue to develop their new found skills in a more mainstream football environment.”
For more information about the Multicultural Auskick Centre, please contact Chris Gallagher on 0415 912 495.
Last Modified on 29/05/2014 09:05