Sport keeps people out of trouble, self-harm

Aboriginal people have always played sport. Before invasion they knew a broad variety of traditional games, and today many Aboriginal athletes excel in their discipline.

Sport is also necessary for Aboriginal communities as never before. Research has found that sport helps reduce violence, keeps youth out of serious trouble and is essential to counter the moral despair of many Aboriginal people [4].

Depression and Aboriginal suicide rates, escalating in the early 2000s, can be brought down if people participate in sport activities by as much as 25% and 12% respectively [4].

In many communities sport provides a sense of belonging and a feeling of coherence, something to stand for. Providing meaning and purpose, sport takes young peoples’ minds off suicidal thoughts.

If anything else transcends race, intolerance or discrimination, it is sport.—Steve Stacey, Executive Officer Nyoongar Sports Association Malaga, Western Australia [1]

Sport was the first pathway that embraced Aboriginal people and gave them the opportunity to compete on an equal playing field.—Michael O'Loughlin, Aboriginal AFL player [2]

Aboriginal soccer

The inaugural Indigenous Football Festival was held in Townsville, Queensland, in July 2009. It is a first attempt to get Aboriginal Australians to embrace soccer. The festival targeted mainly young socceroos who played matches, attended coaching clinics and team-building activities.

In May 2009 the Borroloola Cyclones, a team of 15–18-year-old Aboriginal youth, became the first all-Indigenous soccer team to play an international match during the Arafura Games, held every two years in Darwin, Northern Territory [5]. Because Aussie rules is the dominant football code in the Territory, soccer is referred to as ‘round-ball’. Borroloola is about 950 kms south-east of Darwin.

Aboriginal sport resources

Find Indigenous sport books

National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy

The National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA) helps Aboriginal children achieve their sporting and academic goals and possibly becoming a sports star in their field.

NASCA is is an Aboriginal-governed, non-profit organisation which was founded in 1995 and set up as a mentoring initiative.

It offers three main programs:

• Athletes as Role Models tour (ARMtour) is a program where 24 famous Aboriginal athletes visit remote communities in the Central Desert for a week 3 times a year to promote healthy lifestyles and give the children a hands-on sporting experience. Since the ARMtours inception in 1997 many community leaders report higher school attendance rates, increased participation in sport and less destructive and dangerous behaviour among youth [8].
• The Careers and Aspirations Program (CAP) gives Aboriginal students from across Australia advice on career pathways.
• The Academy Program offers guidance on post-school opportunities and help with numeracy and literacy skills.

The academy does not run the sports programs but has partnerships with sporting institutions such as NRL, AFL, NSW Institute of Sports, Cricket NSW, Cricket NT, National Women’s Basketball League and Softball Australia [6].

[NASCA] teaches kids not to shy away from being Aboriginal, to embrace it, be proud of it and excel in whatever they do.—Joel McCall, senior student at Marrickville High School, Academy Program participant [7]

National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA)
Suite 1009a, Level 10
MLC Centre, 19 Martin Place
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9221 8655
Fax: 02 9221 8322
www.nasca.com.au