Football is known as the World Game, with culture being the stem for many individuals, families and communities. On the 19th of July, Football NSW in conjunction with SydWest Multicultural Services organised a community coaching session for newly settled refugees.

SydWest’s Youth Team pioneered this coaching qualification opportunity, with 25 young avid footballers from all kinds of cultural backgrounds participating in the program. The youth participated in the ALDI MiniRoos Certificate, as well as in a Grassroots Course for Youth Refugees and Migrants who had recently moved to Australia. The key focuses for day were leadership, teamwork and education, with hopes of the individuals staying with the program for the longevity of their football careers whether that be on or off the field.

The youth embrace training opportunities, build their teamwork and leadership skills and will go forward with their football passion by hopefully coaching in their local community.They were delighted to have that training & credentials and some of the participants are already coaching grass root kids and the training have added new skills to even be better coaches & leaders. (Ahmed Shmela, Youth TL).

The course was run by Football NSW Coach Education Manager Oscar Gonzalez with the assistance of Game Development Officers Kevin Guardado Amaya and Charlotte Ercil and the SydWest Youth Team.