Tiwi Islands caught up in Football fever
It was a historic moment for Football NSW as the governing body for the largest Football state in Australia assisted with Macquarie Sports in their annual sports day in the Tiwi Islands, situated north of Darwin last week.
The Tiwi Islands have been well supported by the Hayden Reynolds Tiwi Project since 2010 and have had Macquarie as a principal funder of the project which has raised over $2 million for education and training facilities.
Macquarie Sports traditionally has hosted sporting clinics on the islands, providing equipment, coaching and sporting role models to help assist and inspire as well as motivate local youth in the area.
This year, like previous ones, Macquarie Sports held their annual trip in October where they took a team of six current and former scholarship holders to assist with the annual sports day at the Tiwi College.
Five different codes were represented on the day which included Cricket, AFL, Basketball, Touch Football and of course the round ball game, Football.
Students were divided into teams and were rotated around all sports as well as enjoying an official welcome and a luncheon.
Football NSW was well represented on the day and former Matildas star Servet Uzunlar expressed her delight in being involved in what was a memorable day for the Game Development Officer for Women & Girls.
“This was my first time traveling to the Tiwi’s with Macquarie Sports and it will be something I will never forget.
“It was amazing to see all the work that the Hayden Reynolds Tiwi Project has done for the school and the people in the community.
“It was awesome to engage with the kids and run around and have a kick with them on the sports day.
“I feel extremely fortunate to have been a part of such a wonderful program.
“Although our prime role up there was to assist with the sports day, we were fortunate enough to have had an extra day up there.
“It gave us a great opportunity to understand how day to day life is for a Tiwi student.
“Every Monday morning, the teachers head into the various communities to pick up the kids for school.
“By lunchtime Monday, they have all arrived and start class in the afternoon.
“The students live on site at the college in their various group homes.
“Come Friday lunchtime, the teachers jump in the cars and drop all the kids home.
“This way of live-in schooling in the Tiwi’s is essential as it allows all children the access to education.”
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