The WA Jambinu side today kicked off their campaign at the 2023 First Nations Indigenous Football Cup in North Lakes, Queensland.
The tournament, which runs from 2-4 November, provides an opportunity for regional indigenous female players to represent WA and as a football platform to showcase the talents of players and coaches from First Nations communities.
It also aims to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles and address health, personal development, education and employment issues.
This is the third year that Football West and the Geraldton Sporting Aboriginal Corporation have teamed up to send Jambinu to the tournament.
Head coach of the WA side is Mathew Adams, a C Diploma coach who is also the football co-ordinator at Geraldton Christian College. His assistant is Jessine Bonzas, an experienced coach based in Perth who has worked with WA State, NTC and Perth Glory sides and is currently coaching for the Football Futures Foundation charity.
Team manager Tanya Amazzini said: “This tour is a great experience for all of us involved, especially the players who get to represent WA.
“It is great to promote female football and provide indigenous female players with the opportunity to compete in an organised championship tournament.
“This will hopefully have a knock-on effect of increasing participation rates of indigenous females who are interested in football and empower indigenous females through sport.”
Other benefits include:
- a positive platform for indigenous players/coaches/volunteers to communicate, network and promote football
- creating an opportunity for talented female indigenous players to be identified, trialled and selected for mainstream teams
- promoting a healthy lifestyle, inclusion, diversity, leadership and respect
- building and strengthening relationships with stakeholders
Football Futures Foundation and KingKira Group are sponsoring the Jambinu side for the tournament.
