The WA Amateur Football League, in partnership with the Department of Sport & Recreation and the Recreation & Sport network, is providing an opportunity for people with integration difficulties to live their dreams and play AFL football with the first Integrated Football Carnival to be held on April 11.
Over the past year the Lynwood Ferndale Football Club, Kingsway Football and Sporting Club, Warnbro Amateur Football Club and West Coast Cowan Amateur Football Club have played host to “Come and Try Days” where over 68 intellectually disabled people were able to participate and play football.
The success of these “Come and Try Days” prompted the first integrated football match in metropolitan Perth. Played at Kingsway Football and Sporting Club and with up to 60 players of both sexes, the players entertained a supportive audience with a display of skill and courage in their first competitive game.
On the back of both “Come and Try Days” and the first integrated football match last season, organisers have scheduled a lightning carnival on April 11 at Ferndale Park, Ferndale, with the hope of scheduling more structured matches throughout the year.
At the carnival, four teams will each compete twice in modified matches with the first games kicking off at 10am and the second set of games at midday.
General Manager of Senior Metropolitan Community Football Cameron Agnew praised the program and said the levels of participation had highlighted the need for integrated football. “I’m hopeful new players will register at the lightning carnival ahead of further structured matches in 2010,” he said.
Registration forms will be available to download off the WA Amateur Football League website at www.waafl.com.au and will need to be returned to the Community Football Office by April 8.
For more information:
Community Football Office
(08) 6380 1311
