A footy nuffy that loves to share his passion with his young son.
Was at risk of homelessness.
Now safely housed.
Footy is a doorway to many opportunities. Community, fitness, social and mental wellbeing.
Since an early age I’ve lived in the care system. And one of the main things that got me through was AFL. Life at home was really hectic. So being able to go out and kick a footy with my local community team was a god send! During those times footy would flood my life if it wasn’t kicking the footy it was researching for my dream team or collecting footy cards.
As I got older life in care became tougher. I relied heavily on footy. I was lucky enough to land a match day role with Hawthorn through there VFL team Box Hill. And was lucky enough to play RecLink with the Collingwood team. Safe to say footy was 7 days a week
Working at Box Hill I’ve seen a few players get picked up to play AFL. David Mirra whom spent a few years in the VFL system before finally getting his shot at the big time was one of my personal favourites – his resilience is almost unmatched.
In today’s game though. It would definitely have to be Zak Butters his courage on the field is awesome and he can be a pest. Though, if you’re reading this Zak please come to the Hawks!
Fast forward to today. I love taking my young son to the footy. Every day I pick him up from childcare. The first question is “can we go to the big stadium” we just love the footy. We have faced a lot of challenges. But at the footy you just blend in!
For anyone who is going through what I did, clubs can be lifelines when you need them most. Don't hesitate to reach out – whether it's to a teammate, coach, or club volunteer. These people genuinely care and want to help. Trust your instincts about where you belong. If one club doesn't feel right, try another. With thousands of footy clubs across Australia, there's a place for everyone. It might take a few tries, but when you find your club – that group of people who've got your back – it can change everything.
Melbourne, zero homelessness is possible. Take action today by adding your voice to the Melbourne Zero campaign – sign up now.