THE MULTICULTURAL MELTING POT

Andrew Leonard

In the second in our series for Multicultural Round (round 10) highlighting the great stories from our clubs, today we look at St Johns Old Collegians Football Club. We would like to celebrate the success they have had engaging in with their local community and integrating many diverse cultures into their football club and the Division 2 reigning premiers are certainly leaders. The club had the following to say about Multicultural Week in the VAFA. 

“St John’s Old Collegians Football Club has formed key relationships with many different cultural groups within the Greater Dandenong Community. The club recognises that Australian Football encourages community strengthening and inclusion within the wider community and aims to introduce as many different groups to Australian Football within our community. The last four seasons has seen players representing the club in both our Men’s and Women’s team from many different cultural backgrounds including: Samoan, Sri Lankan, Mauritian, Sudanese, Philippine and English. Many of these players have come to the club through their connections with St John’s Regional College, local junior teams and the surrounding areas.

Highlights have included Mella Opiew representing the World XVIII at the AFL National Under 16 Championships in 2010 and John Ayama and Emmanuel Jakwot being selected to attend the AFL multicultural talent camp during 2011. Emmanuel has been selected to represent the World XVIII at this year’s National Under 16 Championship and is in the VAFA Under 19 squad. Martin Hinchey from England was a premiership player with the club in 2011 and represented the United Kingdom at last year’s AFL International Cup. He has since returned to The United Kingdom and represents St John’s Old Collegians as our European ambassador.

St John’s Old Collegians Football Club aims to continue growing the game among the   Greater Dandenong Community by fostering the VAFA’s mission of being the premier community-based football competition in Australia and to provide all an affordable, enjoyable and competitive game of Australian rules football in a safe environment, whilst making a meaningful contribution to the community and the development of the game. This works in unison with St John’s Old Collegian’s Football Club’s values of: Leadership, Integrity, Respect, Support, and Flexibility.”

Congratulations to St John’s and in particular Emmanuel Jakwot, member of senior team, selected in World XVIII team to play in National U16 championships, and VAFA U19 squad member.
In the photo above: Rear (L to R) – Josh Mourant (England), Marfin Lokeron (Sudan), Emmanuel Jakwot (Sudan), Matthew Phaedonos (Greece), Jeremy Diaz (Sri Lankan/Filipino).  Front L – R: Dale Duggan (Sri Lankan/Irish), Aaron Moldrich (Sri Lankan), Josh Green (England)