INDIGENOUS Round should be about more than celebrating talented Aboriginal footballers in our game.
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This round is about cultural respect. We should be encouraging greater awareness and education on our Indigenous people and their history.
Dreamtime at the ‘G, an annual clash between Richmond and Essendon, continues to raise an impressive benchmark.
Grassroots club Sebastopol is challenging its players to really learn off the field this week – netballers and juniors included.
Education started at training and a team dinner with Peter Lovett so when respected Ballarat elder Ted Lovett leads a welcome to country and smoking ceremony for the Burras’ home clash on Saturday, each player will understand the ceremonies’ significance in Aboriginal culture and in Australian history.
Skills, drills and game plans are pivotal in weekly football and netball preparations. So too, understanding the bigger picture.
Sport can be an incredible teaching tool at all levels of the game. Each time a player pulls on club colours, they set the tone for the community they represent.
Burras head coach Shane Snibson said Indigenous Round was an important chance for players to reflect and deepen their respect on a special day for their Indigenous teammates: Adrian Broughton, Brett Goodes and North Ballarat Roosters-listed Daniel Cox, hailing from Halls Creek in the East Kimberley region, who will make his senior debut.
“Part of being a footy club, is growing a safe and inclusive environment for all players,” Snibson told Press Box. “For some young people, coaches and senior players in their sporting club can have a big influence on how they view things.
“Yeah, it’s sport and it’s important to succeed, but we’re captaining young men and women and by default they’re learning, even if they’re not realising it.”
The flow-on effects are immeasurable. Players lead by example for younger ranks, supporters, club officials, the opposition and the league. This ripples back into the community. What the Burras essentially are essentially doing is gradually generate social change.
Calm and humble by nature, Brett Goodes has played a key role in shaping this, just as proud Indigenous man Aaron Clarke has at Rokewood-Corindhap.
Goodes, a former Western Bulldog with an extensive history working with Indigenous footballers, wants to get people talking in a positive open way. He said awareness was about providing young people the tools to deal with racism situations. Young people were keen to learn, Goodes said, and so too were adults, despite holding back concerned of sensitivities.
“People don’t need to be like that,” Goodes said. “(Sensitivities) are painted like that but this shouldn’t be anything we shy away from."
Goodes sees this as a two-way thing. He naturally wants to learn all about his teammates and their lives,too.
Sporting clubs powerful in generating social change and promoting diversity. It is important to celebrate Indigenous Round, but equally as important to make this an ongoing education.