Bachar Houli inspires in Sydney’s West

By Bronte Kerr

Balancing religion and a professional sporting career in the AFL is no easy feat.

Born to Lebanese parents in Australia, Richmond midfielder Bachar Houli is the second devout Muslim to play in the AFL.

In the early stages of his career, Houli faced the difficult decision of breaking his Ramadan fast for three days in order to take part in the physical tests component at the AFL Draft Camp.

After seeking advice from a Sheikh, Houli chose to attend the draft, where the young midfielder turned heads with his penetrating left foot kick and tenacious attack on the ball.

Since then, Houli has emerged as the leading figure for Islam in the AFL, particularly through his work as one of the league’s official Australia Post AFL Multicultural Ambassadors.

The Bachar Houli Cup was originally initiated in 2012 in Victoria and has since grown to become a national event.

The cup gives kids from Islamic Schools the opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade in a fun, non-competitive and inclusive environment.

The initiative has been designed to encourage students from Islamic Schools and backgrounds to make the transition from school football into community clubs.  

In previous years, the event has also served as a breeding ground for future talent, with participants being selected into the Bachar Houli Academy.

In 2013, a NSW edition of the original Bachar Houli Cup was introduced, played at Blacktown International Sports Park, in Sydney’s west.

During this week, Houli took the day off from training at the Tigers in Melbourne to travel to Western Sydney for this year’s cup.

Speaking to AFL/NSW/ACT, Houli confessed he was surprised at the level of growth in the participation over the last three years.

“It’s definitely grown since last year- it’s really great to see that the cup has tapped into new schools.  With the numbers of kids involved flourishing to 200- it is really extraordinary,” Houli said.

Above everything else, Houli thinks the program should be about kids having fun with their mates and having a good time.

“It’s great to see the schools getting involved and most importantly seeing the kids come out today and really just enjoy themselves,” Houli said.

Growing up in the west of Sydney, many of the children involved in the cup have never heard of AFL before.

“A lot of these kids have probably never played AFL in their life before. What we are trying to create is a good environment for them to feel safe and an environment where they can move into local community clubs and feel like their part of society,” Houli said.

The modest midfielder sang high praise for the GIANTS administration and their ongoing support of the program over the last three years.

“Without the GIANTS passion, their input, and their drive, this program wouldn’t be where it is today.”

Spend a few minutes with Houli and one can’t help but sense his fierce determination and passion for growing Islamic representation in the sport.

“At the end of the day, it’s pretty simple. I come from an Islamic background. The Muslim population contributes close to 650 000 people in Australia. So if I can focus on my community and worry that bit extra about giving the best to my community, that’s a huge percentage we are talking about in terms of room for growth,” Houli said.

Reflecting on his own upbringing and school life in suburban Melbourne, Houli is confident that times have changed since his school days.

“I come from an Islamic school and when I was a kid we didn’t get to play much sport. To see what’s happening 8 years on in this game is really exciting. It’s gone to whole other level.”

Houli was joined in the week by GIANTS’ midfielder Stephen Coniglio, who was equally honored to be part of such a successful initiative.

Speaking to AFL NSW/ACT, Coniglio noted a considerable improvement in both numbers and skill level since the program first kicked off in 2013.

“There’s some good skills here- I’ve definitely noticed a progression since I’ve been here in Sydney and Western Sydney in particular.

“The knowledge of AFL is really starting to grow and of the GIANTS and of the Swans and players like Jeremy Cameron. It’s all coming along nicely.”

Coniglio shares Houli’s passion for promoting multiculturalism in the sport and has emphasized the importance of improving representation at the highest level. 

“Playing out in Western Sydney my role as multicultural ambassador is something I really take seriously,” Coniglio said.

“If you look at the AFL list, only 2% of players come from multicultural backgrounds. It would be great if we could get those figures up in the next couple of years.”

Below is a selection of photos from the NSW Bachar Houli Cup, head to AFL NSW/ACT Facebook page for more.