Professional Footballers Australia (the PFA) partner John Moriarty Football (JMF) has launched a digital campaign highlighting Australian football’s current engagement with Indigenous people, while celebrating the historical contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to the sport.

In its third year, #JMF18 Indigenous Football Week 2018 will raise awareness for Indigenous participation in football through a dedicated and interactive information-sharing portal at jmf.org.au.

The week will stimulate open and meaningful conversation on football’s engagement with Indigenous Australians.

To encourage discussion, a ‘State of Play’ report has been produced by the PFA in collaboration with JMF.

Click here to view the State of Play Report.

The report compares other national sporting organisations’ current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement strategies, and presents the stories of Indigenous athletes who have lived the journey.

Founder of JMF, John Moriarty, the first Aboriginal player to be selected for Australia, welcomed the launch of this year’s campaign.

“Indigenous Football Week provides a perfect opportunity for the football community to come together to challenge the current state of play of Indigenous football, and support inclusion, cultural recognition and diversity. The week is also a call for reignition of football’s Indigenous engagement. Together we hope to create awareness and a shared vision across all stakeholders.”

JMF Board Member Craig Foster hopes the whole football community will participate in the conversation.

“During #JMF18 Indigenous Football Week, we ask everyone involved in football from grassroots teams, to clubs, supporters, families and governing bodies, to participate by sharing JMF’s pathway video and the Indigenous State of Play report created by the PFA, and posting their own stories at jmf.org.au.”

In addition to the State of Play report, JMF has launched a Pathway Video to celebrate the unique journey of Indigenous footballers who represent Australia at the highest level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uocRu5Oov5s&feature=youtu.be

In 2018, JMF scholarship holders from Borroloola and Robinson River, NT attended the Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar W-League match yesterday, and will also attend the Matildas training session on 5 November and watch the Matildas friendly match against Chile at Panthers Stadium this Saturday, 10 November.

Lydia Williams, Jada Wyman, Kyah Simon, James Brown and Adam Sarota are a number of current and former footballers supporting Indigenous Football Week.

Indigenous Football Week (IFW18)’s success will be measured by the active involvement of the football community in the campaign, which JMF hopes will help tell a wider Australian football story. The community can get involved by:

  • Following @FootballJMF on Social Media and sharing thoughts, opinions and stories using the hashtags: #JMF18 #FootballDreaming

About John Moriarty Football (JMF) and Indigenous Football Week:

Established in 2012, John Moriarty Football is a football engagement program for 6-16 year old boys and girls that uses sports as a vehicle for developing talent, positive change, improving school attendance and achieving resilient, healthier outcomes for families and communities.

Held annually, Indigenous Football Week (IFW) is an awareness initiative which highlights the achievements of Indigenous players past and present, and sets the stage for the next generation of incredible talent set to impact the game.  The week is about the power of football to create change for good.