THE PORT ADELAIDE Football Club has long been linked to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands and helping educate local students has always been at the forefront of the relationship.
The club recently announced its industry-leading Santos Aboriginal Power Cup program was expanding into the APY Lands for the first time and now it has partnered with the Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Education Committee (PYEC) to support the new junior football competition, which is heavily focused on encouraging school attendance.
The Anangu Junior Football League was started in late May by PYEC with six boys’ and six girls’ teams representing eight different communities doing battle across a season that will finish with finals in September.
Previously the lands were the only South Australian region without a junior football competition.
“We are proud to partner with PYEC in their inaugural year for the Anangu Junior Football League, which is a great initiative encouraging the young people to attend school,” said Port Adelaide’s Aboriginal Community Programs Manager Braedon Talbot.
“We understand the power Australian Rules football has in getting our young people to school, which is why we are excited to see great outcomes from the football league.
“We are looking forward to getting up to the APY Lands in early September and watching a few games.”
PYEC Executive Director Rueben Burton said as well as educational outcomes, the league was giving local children an opportunity to showcase their talent.
“I want our kids to have an opportunity to make it,” Mr Burton explained.
“We can’t expect Aṉangu to play at a high level if they don’t play junior footy.”
