"The whole idea of the soccer club’s funding application was to develop the club to a point where it carries itself" – Billy Carol

Getting the children of the Namatjira Avenue Aboriginal settlement, 30km from the Victorian border, to play for the Mildura United Soccer Club has meant tackling some challenging barriers off the field.

When the club investigated what prevented the kids from participating, they discovered a number of challenging issues, including a lack of parental support, money and transport to take them the considerable distance to Mildura.

“We’ve got 140 kids on the club’s books and they love to play but many of them just can’t get themselves to training or the games,” says the Mildura United team’s unofficial manager and devoted volunteer Chris Tsivoglou.

As Chris explains, “These are kids from poor backgrounds and broken homes and maybe mum or dad don’t have a car. One problem was just getting them to turn up every week.”

That problem has now been solved. A bus rattles through the settlement four times a week, transporting the keen soccer players to and from practice and weekly matches.

Securing the funding to buy a bus was one thing. But the club still needed funding for a range of other activities, including subsidising the costs of running the bus and training drivers. Thanks to a 12-month VicHealth Active Participation Grant – used by the club to support Aboriginal community fitness and wellbeing – it is closer to becoming self-sustaining.

The VicHealth grant has been used to do practical things like train volunteer bus drivers and buy essential equipment such as uniforms and shin guards. However, the money is also helping the club to work with the local regional sports assembly – Mallee Sports Assembly – to develop their administration skills to improve the long-term prospects of the club.

Billy Carol, who administers the region’s Indigenous Employment Program and helped Mildura United with their Active Participation funding application, hopes that the club is on its way to eventual self-sufficiency.

Having the right skills to apply for funding can be a barrier in itself. As Billy says, “For lots of people, the paperwork can be overwhelming. It does make a difference to have someone who is used to the terminology and how to apply.”

“The whole idea of the soccer club’s funding application was to develop the club to a point where it carries itself,” Billy says. “I see formal sport as providing valuable life skills training – punctuality, anger management, teamwork – and, therefore, work skills training. Soccer could help these kids turn the corner. Getting VicHealth funding is the only thing that has kept us going,” says Billy.

Acknowledging the reality that more time is needed to develop the club’s skills, VicHealth has extended its support for a further 12 months. The extension funding is being used by the club to channel the passion of its supporters into identifying and training volunteers who can help to manage the club, including its finances and future fundraising plans. The club is working with Mallee Sports Assembly to ensure that off the field activity is helping to develop the club so the kids who are playing today have a bright future.

“Ensuring that there are physical activities like soccer that kids in remote areas can get involved in is crucial,” says Buddy Parsons, the Aboriginal community liaison officer, and one of the volunteer bus drivers. He knows that in a disadvantaged community “too much empty time can become the enemy”.

“If it wasn’t for the soccer club, the kids would have nothing to do out here,” he says. “Playing soccer gives them stability,” agrees Chris. “For a lot of the kids out here, the soccer club is all they’ve got.”

By investing in the future of these little soccer players VicHealth Chief Executive Rob Moodie believes the rewards can be substantial.
"Some of these kids have amazing skills,” he enthuses. “But for most of them the main benefit is that they have the chance to participate regularly in physical activity which they enjoy and which allows them to connect with other people in a positive way.”

Down at the ground on a Saturday morning, the under-11s have just won their match 2–0. Chris points to one of the players, Jaharlyn Mitchell. “He’s our biggest goal kicker. He can’t outrun them, but he can out-skill them,” he says.

“You’re looking at the next Dave Beckham,” Jaharlyn grins. On the homeward journey, Buddy Parsons pulls the bus to a stop outside Jaharlyn’s house. Jaharlyn balances on the fence before leaping into a back flip and off towards the soccer ball on the grass. He waits at the front door as Buddy toots a goodbye. “He’s a great little player,” Buddy says. “All he needs is a chance.”

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Need more info?

Contact the Executive Officer at Mallee Sports Assembly, phone (03) 5021 3464.

Ways to improve participation for disadvantaged communities

• Develop volunteer skills in the community
• Provide accessible transport for participants
• Supply essential equipment for new participants
• Think about ongoing funding
• Focus on participation as well as performance
• Invest time in developing a relationship with the community