Kickstart Championships head to Coffs
15 teams and more than 300 players from across Australia and Oceania will take part in the nation’s premier Indigenous and Multicultural junior carnival.
This year the All Nations Championships will be running in conjunction with the KickStart Championships and South Pacific Carnival. The best players from the KickStart Champs will compete in an All-Star game against the best Oceania players before the KickStart Grand Final. Participants will aim to get selected in the Flying Boomerangs U16 National team.
AFL NSW/ACT General Manager Craig Bolton said it was an exciting opportunity for NSW to host some of the brightest young talent from across Australia and beyond.
“This tournament is one of the best examples of how Australian football provides wonderful opportunities for young kids from diverse backgrounds to get involved in sport and make new friends,” Bolton said.
“The KickStart Program is a key part of our Indigenous strategy and drives significant outcomes for its participants and their communities.
“We’re very pleased to be hosting the tournament this year; Coffs Harbour has a fantastic football community who will really enjoy the chance to get involved in such a big event.”
This year’s tournament is a milestone for the KickStart Championships, which are being held outside Queensland for the first time.
“These Championships are a key step for young players who are hoping to reach the elite levels in AFL, so it’s a pleasure to be able to host such a pool of junior sporting talent,” said Coffs Harbour Mayor, Councillor Denise Knight.
“It’s also another great opportunity for the city of Coffs Harbour to showcase its attractions and sporting facilities to people from all over Australia and Oceania – plus it’s great to have such an event south of the border.”
About the KickStart Championships
The KickStart Championships is an expansion of the annual KickStart camp which involves 50 participants.
Players are selected through State KickStart camps on leadership qualities, school attendance, community involvement and football ability.
In addition to the best performing teams playing in a curtain-raiser, 25 players are selected for the Flying Boomerangs squad, which plays exhibition games during the Oceania Cup.
About the KickStart Program
The KickStart program uses Australian football as a vehicle for education, employment, health and participation outcomes for Indigenous people.
The KickStart program and Championships provide further development opportunities for other parts of the football industry such as umpiring, coaching and administration with local Indigenous people engaged in these leadership positions for each team.
In 2011, the Championships were held at the Gold Coast for the first time.During the Championships participants also meet Indigenous AFL players and engage in leadership seminars.
A full tournament schedule can be found here.
KickStart Championships teams:
Northern Territory
New South Wales/ACT combined
South Australia
Western Australia
Queensland
Victoria/Tasmania Combined
All Nations Championships teams:
Northern Territory
New South Wales/ACT combined
South Australia
Western Australia
Queensland
Victoria/Tasmania Combined
Oceania Championships teams:
New Zealand
PNG
Combined South Pacific Team (Fiji, Vanuatu, Nauru, Tonga and Samoa)
