By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE greatest strength of Australia’s national game is its ability to bring people together – to feel a part of something, to belong to something.
Beaconsfield’s newest footy club – part of the St Francis Xavier family – is set to enter the Football Integration Development Association (FIDA) competition for 2015. It’s Aussie Rules competition for players with an intellectual disability, and AFL Victoria has identified a huge need for a local club spanning everywhere from Dandenong to Pakenham.
Logan Whitaker, FIDA’s football administration manager, said the Princes Highway through Hallam, Narre Warren, Berwick, Beaconsfield Officer and Pakenham was a “huge growth area for us”.
“We’ve recently gone through a mapping project where we identified where all the special schools and Auskick centres are, as well as where the current FIDA clubs are, and we’ve identified out this way as an area that we need to tap into more and more,” he said.
“We’ve got a team out Gippsland way and a lot in Melbourne. Cranbourne is a bit further south and we don’t have much out this way so it’s a really good opportunity to set up a new club with great people.”
Whitaker said the St Francis Xavier VAFA club’s backing of the new FIDA team was “huge”, adding: “We don’t let clubs come into the competition anymore if they don’t have the backing of a mainstream senior or junior football club”.
He called for anyone who loves footy to get involved with the club and help out at the grassroots.
“Volunteering and the administrative side, and non-playing roles in football, is something we really look at for people with intellectual disabilities too,” Whitaker said.
“Not everyone can play footy but there are plenty of people out there who would still love to be involved – whether they be a scoreboard attendant, coach, team manager, water boy… you name it.
“We’re trying to make football more accessible to all people with an intellectual disability but it’s baby steps.
“Yeah it might take a half an hour drive to get to the club but it’s going to be to somewhere that’s an accepting environment and one you can feel a part of.”
St Francis Xavier Old Collegians senior coach Trent Pearson said the implementation of the new team is; “fantastic from both a community perspective, and for the school and our club in particular.
“We couldn’t be more proud about it.”
Footy has the ability to bring people from all walks of life together, regardless of their backgrounds or personal circumstances and Pearson said his players would play a hands-on role in helping the new team on its way.
The new St Francis Xavier team – the Saints – is the brainchild of Paddy and Jen McKenna, who’ve been heavily involved in the local footy landscape for years.
Their sons go to Mazenod College and they had the honour of playing a trial game against the school’s own FIDA team, the Panthers.
The McKennas were touched and soon set about setting up a FIDA team in their local area. They’ve had nothing but support from the local community, councils and AFL Victoria along the way and one of the team’s formative chapters will be this Saturday at the school campus on Beaconsfield Avenue, where the Saints will hold a ‘Come and Try’ day from 9.30 to 11am. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come along and meet some of the Old Collegians senior players.
For more information, call Jen on 0411 774 512.
