World Footy News

In June we reported that the AFL would be staging a Multicultural Academy during grand final week, to encourage greater involvement and talent identification across Victoria's large multicultural community - see AFL to hold Multicultural Academy Camp.

Last weekend another step was taken towards that intake, with trials for 120 players. The following is a media release from the AFL leading into those trials, which involves AFL Multicultural Development officers including several men who have previously been involved in developing the game overseas - Mickey Roberts in Samoa, Sasha Herceg in Croatia and Yuta Kobayash (Japan and India).

MULTICULTURAL FOOTBALL TRIALS

This weekend will see 120, 13 and 14 year old males from culturally diverse backgrounds participate in two Australian football trials as a pathway to our inaugural Victorian Multicultural Academy Camp to be held in Grand Final week this year.

The trials will be held at:

Saturday 29th August
Whitten Oval - 11am to 1pm

Sunday 30th August
Ross Reserve Memorial Drive,
Noble Park - 11am to 1pm

The participants will undertake skills training and modified games as well as an interview on why they would like to be involved in the Victorian Multicultural Academy Camp.

Thirty seven cultural backgrounds will be represented including Indian, Greek, Sudanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Ethiopian, Maltese, Somali, Turkish and Mozambique.

Majak Daw (Sudanese/Australian) currently playing with the Western Jets, will play a community leadership role. Majak has recently been invited to attend the upcoming AFL State screening process.

The trials and Victorian Multicultural Academy Camp are being led by Nick Hatzoglou and the Multicultural Development Officers, Michael Roberts (Richmond FC), Sasha Herceg (Western Bulldogs FC), Harmit Singh (Collingwood FC), Michael Nguyen (Hawthorn FC) Yuta Kobayashi (Carlton FC) and Essendon FC.

The AFL Multicultural Program is a partnership between the Victorian Government, AFL Victoria and AFL Clubs Essendon, Collingwood, Western Bulldogs, Carlton, Hawthorn and Richmond.