Third time lucky for Indigenous and multicultural talent

For three days in the April school holidays, more than 50 high school girls came together to make new friends, get to know theirs and each other’s cultures, and improve their footy skills.

The Indigenous Youth Girls Leadership Program and the Multicultural Youth Girls Leadership Program was delayed twice, having previously been scheduled in September and then January, so it was with immense excitement and anticipation when the players from all over NSW and the ACT arrived at Narrabeen’s Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation.

The best performers from the camp will be selected for the national Indigenous girls side, the Woomeras, and the national multicultural girls side, the Medleys.

However, the program is about more than creating good footballers, it’s about developing great people who are leaders in their community on and off the sports field.

 

Highlights of the 2022 program

Skills, drills, recovery sessions, dinners, guest speakers from Headspace and Transport for NSW gave the participants a sense of what it’s like to be in an elite program on the camp.

Sydney Swans player and NSW/ACT Indigenous Ambassador, James Bell, spoke to the players about the importance of culture in elite sporting clubs, inspiring the players to embrace their backgrounds. Callum Sinclair from the Swans also spoke to the players about what it takes to be the best you can be.

During the three days, players formed friendships that will strengthen through time. They all proved to be great leaders who flourished during the Youth Girls Leadership Program.

This video saw the participants talking about what they liked about their culture in the cultural awareness section of the camp.

 

 

Support from Transport for NSW

Transport for NSW is an invaluable supporter of AFL NSW/ACT’s Indigenous Youth Leadership Programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth since 2014.

Through the programs, Transport for NSW has imparted wisdom onto dozens of our young leaders about the importance of road safety and developing leadership in their community by reinforcing road safety messages to help our state move Towards Zero road fatalities by 2056.

Thank you for Transport for NSW’s ongoing support of our young and talented leaders.

 

See a full gallery from Nat Sports Media here.

 

Photo: Nat Sports Media