Football fun takes off in Western Australia
Issue: Volume 29 Number 4
It’s sports participation at its purest. A program aimed at providing a fun and stimulating environment for children with a disability called Football Fun, which is reaping rewards for coaches, parents and the community, as well as the children, according to Football West Development Coach, Salv Todaro.
‘For the kids taking part in our program it’s not about winning premiership, and not even about playing in an organised competition—it’s about enjoyment, socialising, developing skills and experiencing the benefits of exercise,’ Salv said.
Football Fun is an inclusion program run by Football West in partnership with Recreation and Sport Network in Western Australia aimed at creating opportunities for people with physical and intellectual disabilities to participate in sport at whatever level they want to.
The program is growing in numbers and reputation. There are many of success stories like nine-year old Kyle, who has ‘blossomed’ since taking part in Football Fun.
‘When he first came he was timid and shy and rarely smiled. He wouldn’t get involved and rarely interacted with the other kids. But now he’s like a different kid. He’s always smiling and laughing and has developed his football skills,’ Salv said.
Kyle’s parents are thrilled with the transformation, which has been nothing short of amazing, according to Aaron Morse, who is also involved in Football Fun as the Sport Development Manager with Recreation and Sport Network.
'He had never run or participated in a sport in his life,’ Aaron said. ‘He was a little overweight and his Mum was keen for him to develop an interest in sport and get more physically active. Before long he was not only running, but also developing football skills and having a great time’.
‘It’s been fantastic to share in so many great moments with children like Kyle. On the one hand you see them develop sport skills and become more physically active, but there’s a whole other side to it with benefits in other areas as well’.
‘They have to think about team work, listen to instructions, wait their turn, help teammates and think about other people’s needs. We are finding that their concentration levels are increasing and their disruptive behaviour is decreasing and this carries through to school and home. These skills will also assist them in their endeavours to play sport on an ongoing basis’
Todaro has also seen the social benefits.‘It’s been great to see the kids come out of their shells. They all greet each other now with high fives and really look forward to coming.’
Parents play a big part in the program. ‘We get the mums and dads involved at training and give them skills and drills to work on at home. The parents are finding the kids are keen to get out in the backyard and kick a ball around, which is something they wouldn’t do before. When you see the joy on the faces of the kids and their parents it’s priceless.’
Morse has also seen a change in attitude from a lot of parents. ‘The parents are often surprised at what the kids are able to do. We see a lot of changed expectations regarding what their children are capable of.’
Following the success of Football Fun, Morse is working with other state sporting organisations in Western Australia such as tennis, table tennis, basketball and lawn bowls to establish participation programs for people with disability.
‘The aim is to work to develop inclusive practice on both a strategic and grass root level. There are huge benefits for the participants, but also for the sports’.
‘We all know sport plays a valuable role in anyone’s life and that can be even more pertinent to someone with a disability in relation to health and developing social networks. Inclusion of people with disability also allows sports to increase their participation base’.
‘Once you can provide someone with basic sport skills it’s then important to also provide a player pathway for them to continue to participate’.
‘It’s about creating equal access to sporting opportunities and this is vital. It’s definitely something many sports are embracing’.
‘Football Fun has been very successful. Football West is very keen to develop the program in more local clubs. We’ve had more than 70 kids participate in the last 12 months and about 70 per cent of those have an intellectual disability. The program has been thoroughly beneficial for the kids and also for the coaches that have been involved’.
‘It’s been a great experience for them to see what is possible and what it is all about. It develops their skills as a coach as well. We believe that a coach of athletes with disability doesn’t need to be a specialist. They just need a good understanding of their sport as well and being able to adapt and modify their training and drills to suit individuals with a variety of needs and abilities.’
For Todaro it has been a real eye-opener. ‘It was a big learning curve for me and it has been really rewarding. I coach at many levels but I get the most satisfaction out of coaching these kids,’ he said.
Morse works closely with the Australian Sports Commission’s Disability Sport Unit, which aims to ensure that all Australians with disabilities have opportunities to participate in sporting activities at the level of their choice. The unit drives Sports CONNECT – a national program designed to create better links between the sport and disability sectors. Football Fun is an excellent example of the benefits that improved links can bring, for people with disabilities and for the sports organisations involved.
Morse believes there is so much potential for inclusion in sport and he believes the number of sports getting on board is growing quickly.
‘We have a great opportunity to expand and assist sport to develop inclusive practices which provides many benefits to them.
‘Sport is a huge part of Australian culture and everyone should be able to participate in the sport they choose.’
