The Indigenous Football Australia (IFA) Council has been launched to fully embrace young Indigenous players, with the Australian Professional Leagues and A-Leagues heavily involved to help “drive real and lasting change”.
Overseeing the strategy and expansion of the successful John Moriarty Football program in Australia, APL CEO Danny Townsend and Liberty A-Leagues stars Jada Whyman (Sydney FC) and Allira Toby (Canberra United) form part of the strongest Council in the history of Indigenous football.
With AFL great Adam Goodes also appointed to the advisory board, IFA and JMF will drive to create more equitable access to football for young grassroots and elite players, together with physical and mental health, wellbeing, education and community engagement for Indigenous girls, boys, their families and communities.
“I’m incredibly honoured and humbled to be a part of the IFA council,” said Wiradjuri/Yorta Yorta woman Whyman, who helped Sydney to the A-League Women Premiership last season.
“It means the world to me to have the opportunity to share my insight and experience that can contribute to the growth of Indigenous football in our country.”
Kanulu/Gangulu woman Toby, who has also played for Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar and Sydney in the ALW, said: “I aim to share my experience and knowledge to further the expansion and access to our game for grassroots and elite players.
“A long awaited step in the right direction for our people, I can’t wait to get started.”
Townsend added: “I am proud to join the Indigenous Football Australia Council on behalf of the Australian Professional Leagues.
“We look forward to working closely with the IFAC to create more equitable access to football and improved outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
“The power of football to create positive mental and physical health outcomes, to be a tool for education, and to bring together communities is unmatched, and we take seriously our responsibility to use football for social good.
“Working with John Moriarty Football and the illustrious Council members is a great privilege and we look forward to helping to drive real and lasting change.”
Former Adelaide United captain Travis Dodd, Newcastle Jets legend Gema Simon, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) co-CEOs Kathryn Gill and Beau Busch, and ex-Socceroo Craig Foster are also on the Council, along with Tiffany Stanley, Ros Moriarty, Tracey Holmes, Stan Grant, Patrick Coleman and Gail Garvey.
John Moriarty Football (JMF) is Australia’s longest-running and most successful Indigenous Football initiative for two to 18 year olds. JMF’s transformational skills program uses football (soccer) for talent and positive change, improving school attendance and achieving resilient, healthier outcomes in Indigenous communities.
“The diversity and strengths of this Indigenous-led Council are unparalleled,” said IFA council member, JMF co-founder/co-chair and the first Indigenous footballer to be selected for Australia, John Mariarty AM.
“Each member is more than a symbolic appointment. They all bring unique, lived experience plus skills, aligned values and goals for Indigenous football in Australia. Each member is committed to creating tangible, equitable and lasting change.
“After a decade of successful delivery, we’ve shown the transformational impacts JMF has on the skills, health, wellbeing, education and community engagement of our coaches and the many thousand young players in our program.
“With the guidance of the IFA Council we can create exponential social change through football, expand JMF and ensure more equitable access to the great game of football for grassroots and elite Indigenous players.”
A Sydney Swans legend, Goodes will now turn his football passion towards the development of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders aspiring to represent the Matildas or Socceroos.
“I always had a love of football,” Goodes said via the Sydney Morning Herald.
“Today I’m enjoying playing for Waverley Old Boys. It’s great to be part of a team environment. I knew I was always going to play soccer again because the love for the game has never left me.”
“I am really excited to be able to share my life experience in sport and business to help others on a similar journey,” Goodes added in an IFA statement.
“I am looking forward to learning from other experts who are on the Council. But most of all it is about the young people and giving them the best opportunity to achieve their dreams.”
