Rio Tinto funds students’ footy dreamsMonday, June 26, 2023 - 12:25 PM

Four students from Australind Senior High School will participate in this year’s Senior High School Country Week from 26 June – 30 June, thanks to funding from Rio Tinto.

The competition brings regional schools from across the state to Perth for a week-long event filled with sports and other activities. This year will see 21 Boys’ teams and 11 Girls’ teams compete for the Country Week title at UWA Sports Park.

Funding from Rio Tinto provides the opportunity for Lana Bennett, Crysta Antaw, Holly Crane and Rodney Joseph to focus on their passion for the game and continue to chase their football dream by competing in this annual event.

Australind Senior High School's Health & Physical Education Teacher, Domonique Fedele, who also serves as the coach of the girls' team during Country Week, contacted the West Australian Football Commission to explore potential funding opportunities.

“Some of these students were struggling financially and had to self-fund their fees to be able to attend. They are all positive members of our school and represent their local clubs on weekends,” Fedele said.

“We are extremely grateful for the generous sponsorship from Rio Tinto.” 

“This funding will give our indigenous AFL players the opportunity to attend Country Week and pursue their football dream. 

“We appreciate the ongoing support Rio Tinto provides to indigenous education and the opportunity this gives our regional students.”

Without the funding and support these players may have missed the opportunity to attend Country Week this year.

“This means so much to my family and I, without this sponsorship I might not have been given this opportunity,” Holy said.

“I’ve had to self-fund for Country Week so this sponsorship will be a huge help,” Crysta said.

Football has the power to ignite a shared sense of pride and belonging within the community, especially in regional and remote areas and can provide opportunities for skill development and personal growth in regional and remote areas. 

It’s at these football clubs where the students can learn valuable life lessons such as teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and sportsmanship. Local football clubs often serve as hubs for mentoring and nurturing young talent, creating pathways for aspiring players to pursue their dreams.

“Playing football is the best decision I’ve ever made; I’m learning new skills and more about the game. It helps me forget about other things going on in my life,” Crysta said.

“Football is a big part of my life. It allows me to be myself and escape other areas of my life,” Rodney said.

The Senior High Schools Country Week competition is set to resume its full schedule this year. This marks a significant milestone as it is the first time in four years that the competition will take place in its entirety. In 2020 and 2021, the competition was put on hold due to COVID, and only a scaled-down event was organised last year.