The Northern Territory might not yet have an A- or W-League team to support (and yes, the question is 'why not?'), but I'm pleased to report that they will soon have a street soccer team to support instead.
Yep, street soccer. A super-speedy version of football played on a compact, tennis court-sized pitch. Regular readers of this blog will know that I've been fortunate enough to witness the life-changing Homeless World Cup (HWC), an annual event that uses football to empower homeless and marginalised people to improve their lives.
The Big Issue's Street Soccer programme is the domestic (and effectively feeder) programme, which operates on the same inspiring round ball premise. Homeless and marginalised people attend weekly training sessions where they not only play football, but meet others, develop interpersonal skills, and are put in touch with services that may be able to help them with health, legal, career, and other issues. Based on their sporting prowess and personal conduct players may then be selected to participate in the national championships and even to represent Australia at the HWC.
The HWC results have been outstanding. (Research into the Street Soccer here in Australia is reporting positive results too.) Over 70% of players who have participated have gone on to improve their lives, whether through reconnecting with family and friends, obtaining employment and secure housing, or going back to study. Some players, such as Michelle da Silva, who was selected for the Brazilian national women's football team as a direct result of her participation in and outstanding performance during the 2007 HWC, have even gone on to forge professional footballing careers.
Remoteness in comparison to the rest of Australia's coastline-hugging settlements combined with overwhelmingly complex issues of drug and alcohol abuse and third world-like poverty means that for many of us, the Northern Territory is often consigned to the too-hard basket. It is, coincidentally, often where homelessness, with its complex and multi-faceted causes such as drugs and alcohol issues, mental issues, and social isolation, is consigned too so it's fitting that the two are coming together.
Homeless is not experienced solely by Indigenous people, but they are well- (and over-) represented in this aspect. Queensland-based Beau became the first Indigenous player to represent Australia in the HWC in Milan in 2009 and few could forget his lightning-quick saves in goal, his wide grin, and his infectious joy at being there. My guess is that we'll encounter more than a few talented footballers courtesy of this northern exposure, who will go on to become Australian HWC 'Street Socceroos' team members or beyond.
Winning isn't everything, but we should be asking why we're not actively offering Northern Territorians a future in football (it's something the AFL and NRL are actively doing, although that's a whole other discussion) or even just an opportunity to live an active, healthy sporting lifestyle. With just a ball and some simple goal demarcation the only requirements to play, football (that is, soccer) is perhaps one of the most affordable sports we can offer but also one of the most inspiring and fun.
Which reminds me that the street soccer program is looking for coaching and co-ordinating staff to run the Alice Springs program. If you're Alice Springs-based, check out the Street Soccer website [http://www.streetsoccer.org.au/play-with-us/volunteer/] for more information on how you can contribute.
