AFL star Ahmed Saad (St Kilda) mentors AMES students

 More than 200 new arrived migrants and refugees have been introduced to AFL football through the first ever AMES Cup ‘Game On’ event.

The ‘Game On’ event saw nine teams of new arrivals to Australia from across Melbourne come together to play football, make friends and community connections and practice English in a social setting.

In partnership with the Western Bulldogs and the AFL, the inaugural ‘Game On’ event welcomed more than 100 players and 80 spectators – from 20 different countries – who enjoyed a celebration of sport, multiculturalism and friendship.

Former and current AFL stars from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds – including David Roden (Richmond, Port Adelaide, and Melbourne), Ahmed Saad (St Kilda) and Lin Jong (Western Bulldogs) – were on hand to mentor the fledgling footballers.

AMES CEO Cath Scarth said the event was successful in helping to introduce newcomers to Melbourne to a key aspect of the society.

“They say that footy is the social glue that binds Melbourne together so we see events like this as a way of promoting a cohesive society and giving newly arrived people connections into the communities in which they now live,” Ms Scarth said.

“It was a terrific event and we hope it will be the first of many more. Sport is a great way of meeting new people and it is an important part of Australia’s cultural life; so it is very rewarding for us to be able to expose migrants and refugees who are newly arrived to an occasion like this,” she said.

Western Bulldogs Community Engagement Manager Kiemi Lai said the club’s involvement in the event was part of its strategy to engage with new and emerging communities in Melbourne’s west.

“It is important for us as a community organisation to reach out to newly arrived groups in our region and establish strong relationships with them,” she said. 

For images, interviews and more information please contact AMES Media Advisor, Laurie Nowell at nowelll@ames.net.au or 9938 4031 or 0498 196 500.