Image courtesy: Geelong Advertiser
The Geelong football community has banded together to help new arrivals from Burma and Thailand become involved in football in Geelong.
On Sunday, children from the Karen community participated in their first Optus Small-Sided Football match for the Corio Bay Soccer Club, after months of organization and planning by VicHealth, Football Federation Victoria, the Geelong football community, and the Corio Bay Soccer Club.
VicHealth Project Officer, Dennis Tomasovic, presented a program to the clubs of Geelong, asking for funding to support young Karen children to be able to play in the region’s Small-Sided Football weekly event.
Geelong’s football clubs – Barwon SC, Barwon Heads SC, Bellarine Sharks AFC, Bell Park SC, Breakwater Eagles FC, Corio SC, Deakin Ducks SC, Geelong SC, Geelong Rangers SC, Kardinia, Lara SC, North Geelong SC, Springdale FC, Surfcoast FC, and Surfside Waves SC, all supported this Corio Bay SC initiative by pledging an incredible $5,000.
Corio Bay SC is currently in its second year of a three-year VicHealth-funded project aimed at breaking down barriers between communities using football.
Mr Tomasovic said it was fantastic to be a part of this momentous occasion.
“It all began over six months ago with a plan to provide children from New and Emerging Communities an opportunity to play as a team in a structured sporting environment,” he said.
“The children from these communities had overwhelmingly expressed their desires to play football, for a club and as a team.”
Football Federation Victoria waived the player registrations fees, and supplied 50 Balls, 40 bibs and 50 cones to support the program.
Before their first official Small-Sided Football game, the Corio Bay SC held a shirt presentation night last week, which was attended by the Geelong Region Football Committee Chairman, John Murphy, local Councillor Kylie Fisher, Victorian State Parliament Member John Erin, and Football Federation Victoria’s Michael Pocklington and Foddy Kyprian.
The launch can be viewed on Channel 31, or digital channel, Channel 44 either this Friday from 6.30pm or next Wednesday from 6.30pm.
Last updated: Thursday July 22, 2010 12:05PM
Back