A testimony to my friend Awer Mabil – by Mike Conway

“What is the purpose of life? After much consideration, I believe that the purpose of life is to find happiness” – the Dalai Lama

January 26 has been a special day in my family for the last 23 years.  On the same day in 2000 we were made citizens of Australia.  A country which has like my country of birth given me so much. It embraced me and our family from day one.  The positive outlook of the Country made me feel like I belong: something I don’t take for granted.  The date this year, 2023, was also a milestone.

My good friend Awer Mabil was made Young Australian of the Year.  Something that’s made me so happy.  His story of him arriving in Australia via a refugee camp, settling with his Mum and family in Adelaide and making his way to represent the Socceroos in the World Cup and being a philanthropist through his fund raising for other refugees is remarkable as well as inspiring.  However, there are other aspects of Awer which makes him a success: some which I know only through working with him closely as a mentor and mind coach to the Socceroos for the last four plus years.

Awer is a goal setter.  I remember my first session with the Socceroos in Antalya in Turkey in 2018.  After the session, Awer spent some time with me. He liked the references I made to Michael Phelps and to Roger Federer.  I learned of his strong commitment to his family, particularly his deep love and respect of his Mum and siblings.  He was clear from the outset what he wanted to achieve. He’s a real goal setter and continues in striving to improve as a person and in his chosen sport.  You can use experiences such as difficult upbringing, low income, family tragedy and others as excuses for a sad life or, as Awer does, use them as drivers for higher improvement.  No stone unturned on this. We talked about things such as peripheral vision and improving focus and attention and where I could, I would provide exercises or additional materials to help this curious young man.  I remember introducing him to an app which had been built by neuroscientists with a number of exercises linked to improving focus and attention.  I know for sure his scores on the app will have been higher than mine in just a short time.  A few weeks after Antalya, I was celebrating his first game for the national team along with his good friend Thomas Deng.  Graham Arnold and all of us in the Socceroos staff group had been nurturing and encouraging both boys in the lead up to the game against Kuwait.  That game set the tone and the  path for young talent to emerge and participate in a changing face of the national team all the way to the World Cup.

As I reflect on his Award, I think of some of the qualities which Awer applies in life. Interestingly, many of these are typically themes of contemporary writings from people who are known for wisdom in their field.  Many who know my work in helping people grow and develop through mind and emotional training in sport, business and education know I often use Dan Siegel’s models including work on focussed attention, open awareness and kind intention.  (see “Aware, the science and practice of presence” Dan Siegel).  Naturally and through his genuine interest in growth and development, Awer works on all three.  He is committed to constant improvement in his chosen profession, is very much aware of who he is and the energy and information between him and others and through his connections to family, friends and his charity, has a very kind heart.

I remember a particular conversation when we were in Al Ain in the Emirates.  At the time I was reading the book of Joy which was a conversation piece between Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama and had become immersed in its messaging.  Awer and I talked about the most joyful things in life. We both agreed with Desmond Tutu’s commentary:

“Ultimately the greatest joy is when we seek to do good for others.”  We also shared their perspectives of the pillars of the mind and heart which I still use I some of my strategic psychotherapy work and so happy to see Awer embracing fully:

PILLARS OF THE MIND

  • Perspective
  • Humility
  • Humour
  • Acceptance

PILLARS OF THE HEART

  • Forgiveness
  • Gratitude
  • Compassion
  • Generosity

Just this week we learn of Awer’s “Barefoot to Boots” charity work which so far has donated more than two tonnes of boots and many more things into refugee camps including medical and educational equipment. Compassion, generosity and perspective for sure.  It also demonstrates genuine leadership.  The most recent Lencioni work “the six types of working genius” draws attention to six leadership activities: wonder, invention, discernment, galvanising, enablement, tenacity. Typically each one of us demonstrates two “genius” areas of leadership.  In Awer I see wonder and galvanising.  He’s got others around him that help him including his brother.  However, Awer’s eyes are wide open to the possibilities in life and he has the unique spirit of galvanising others.  A recipe for exciting things.

In recent weeks, I’ve been thrilled to see the announcement of the Adelaide 36ers XVenture Schools Program for year 10 HSC students in South Australia. The program takes much of what I’ve been teaching in elite sport, postgraduate and undergraduate classrooms and in the exec training room.  One of the big lessons is the need to understand that we will experience highs and lows throughout life as does everybody.  The key to a happy life is to learn and to practice overcoming the lows and to celebrate the highs.  Those who are older in our society are likely to have experienced many of both.  Those who are older and typically live a happy life have likely learned how to deal with such things.

For Awer, he’s young yet he has experienced many highs and lows already but significantly has already built considerable resilience through his young life. His early years weren’t easy.  His life in elite sport is a constant up and down.  He experienced the pain of deep loss when he heard the news his sister tragically died in a car accident in Australia when we were in the Emirates at the Asia Cup in 2019.  I felt privileged to be there to support him when that happened.  I was amazed of his ability to overcome the tragedy: not by shutting the thought down but by using his sister’s spirit as strength.  He works to live a happy life.

One of the recent trips I undertook was to the USA with the Adelaide 36ers.  Playing both Phoenix and Oklahoma in the NBA, this was an incredible experience.  Just a few weeks before the World Cup to Qatar. Suffice to say, Adelaide put on a terrific performance against a mighty Phoenix side and made history by being the first Australian club side to win in the USA. Whilst I was there, I did what I typically do on an overseas trip and take a new book to read.  On this occasion I took a book I had bought in the UK when I was working with the Birmingham Phoenix  cricket team during the English Summer.   The subject being very much connected with one of the key areas of my work: helping people with tools and techniques to be in a calm state when facing pressure moments.  This particular book caught my eye: the more I read it the more I learned.  One of the few I have honestly read from cover to cover.  “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art” by James Nestor is a revelation.  How about this as a back cover comment:

“There is nothing more essential to our health and wellbeing than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat 25,000 times a day…”

Back to Awer: a few months after his sister’s tragedy, I was having a chat to him one early morning.  (Awer was in Denmark and I was in Sydney.). We talked about the ability to be calm, to relax, to rest.  We talked of an exercise I took the team through in one camp: bringing a sense of calm in the last minute of a game. Awer: a young man short of 25 years old, sharing his belief in mindfulness, in focus on breathing to be aware of the present.  So much wisdom at such a young age.

I sent a message to Awer to congratulate him on his Award.  It was so good to see his Mum picking it up for him and his reference and care for her in his acceptance speech. It was a true reflection of modern Australia.  Yesterday, I sent a link to the book on Breath.  Awer is a life long learner and I know he will embrace it.  It’s hard to imagine what else will unfold for our young Australian of the Year. I’m sure it will be rich and plentiful.

To find out more about Awer’s Foundation head to: https://barefoottoboots.org/

About the Author, Mike Conway:

Mike is one of Australia’s top emotional agility and mind coaches. His work has included being part of the coaching team as part of the most successful Socceroos team of all time, as well as work at elite level in cricket and basketball. He is also the author of the virtual world based learning program FCA XV Essential Skills, which provides access to all his work directly to football coaches via fcaxvcollege.com

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Shepparton Cup 2024: The largest junior football tournament goes from strength to strength

The Shepparton Cup was conducted over the weekend, with the event being the largest weekend junior football tournament ever held in Australia.

The 3-day event was a huge overall success, with a record breaking 313 teams competing in the tournament across 21 divisions.

Matches were spread across 38 pitches at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve, Shepparton Sports City, Rumbalara and Wanganui Oval.

With around 4,000 players participating, 755 matches were played over the weekend – with finals matches concluding the event on Sunday.

“It was the biggest and smoothest tournament we’ve ever ran in our 17-year history,” Australian Football Skool (AFS) Director Rolando Navas told Soccerscene.

“There was of course really good football on show across the age groups and great sportsmanship, which was fantastic to see.

“I think the message is getting through about how important it is to provide a positive environment for kids to play sport in. It was pleasing to see everybody there, both players and parents/supporters, had a good time.”

Navas estimates that there were well over 12,500 people attending the event across both venues over the weekend, providing a giant boost to the local Shepparton area.

“You are talking about a wide range of people who are, at a minimum, staying in the city of Shepparton or close by for two nights,” he said.

“The economic impact was massive.”

Economic activity at Shepparton Cup – Image Credit: One Nil Media

Director for Sustainable Development at Greater Shepparton City Council, Geraldine Christou, further explained the greater benefits the tournament had on the local community.

“Australia’s largest junior weekend football tournament right here in Greater Shepparton showcases the strength of our community spirit and our capacity to host major events that bring joy, talent, and visitors to our region,” she stated.

“The economic benefit of this tournament is immense with an estimated $3 to $4 million generated for the region, supporting our local businesses and creating lasting memories for thousands of young athletes and their families.

The Greater Shepparton City Council’s Parks, Sport and Recreation team played a big hand in the organisation of the tournament, which included looking after the setup of pitches to the placement of goals at the venues.

Football Victoria CEO Chris Pehlivanis, who attended the tournament over the course of the weekend, was impressed with the execution of it.

“I’m proud of the whole tournament, it was an amazing opportunity to come down here to Shepparton and see lots of boys and girls playing football and playing lots of games,” he stated at the event.

“I think most kids had six, seven, eight games which is an amazing opportunity and not only that, there was amazing organisation.

“Everyone should be extremely proud of what they have achieved here this weekend…the logistics, everything was run smoothly…the referees were great and all the parents and participants were great.”

Kids at play during the Shepparton Cup – Image Credit: One Nil Media

The Shepparton Cup has continued to grow exponentially over the years, initially starting with just 30 teams in the inaugural tournament in 2007.

This year’s edition also featured a wide range of off the field activities that contributed to a carnival like atmosphere. There was live music, on stage entertainment, food trucks, a fun zone for players and families.

Navas detailed to Soccerscene that the enormity of the event was not lost on him and is investigating ways to make the competition better in the near future.

“(The growth of the event has been) overwhelming, compared to many of the previous years. It was the biggest by far this year and there was a great positivity around it.

“The plan is to not necessarily make it bigger in the future, just to tweak it and add more to it and make it a better experience for everyone.

“I’d love to be able to attract some more international teams, we are looking at that to see how we can get some of the Asian teams to come across to the event.

“This would be fantastic, as it would show the kids here how football is played in different parts of the world. The way we look at things is ‘if I was 10- or 12-years-old what would I want this tournament be?’

“That’s what drives a lot of our thinking and ultimately our initiatives. It’s important to us because if the kids have a good experience, they’re going to become better players and better people because of it.

“We’ve also received some really good information from the feedback surveys we put out, which is very beneficial in shaping the tournament suitably in future editions.”

Is it time to make the A-League Women a full-time professional competition?

Newcastle Jets Women

In the last fortnight, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) released their annual A-League Women’s report, providing an overview of the current state of the women’s game at the highest level in Australia.

Throughout the document the PFA pinpointed their key recommendation, make the A-League Women’s (ALW) competition a full-time professional league.

The association had previously earmarked this as their number one priority in the year prior, but have now doubled down – setting a timeline for implementation by the 2026-2027 season.

The timeframe has come from extensive feedback from stakeholders within the game, with the vast majority of players agreeing that action on this front must come sooner rather than later.

The report outlined in detail the difficulties players are having with the current part-time nature of the league – with most players not on 12-month contracts, minimum wages set at $25,000 and club salary caps sitting at $600,000 per season.

The representative body also highlighted the threat to the competition based on significant progress of other women’s sporting leagues here in Australia and more importantly overseas women’s football leagues.

“The global growth of women’s football presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the A-League Women,” PFA Co-Chief Executive Kate Gill stated.

“Our players recognise that the league must embrace full-time professionalism by 2026 to remain competitive on the global stage.

“Our league and club leaders must unite behind a new vision that drives professionalism, commercial growth, and investment.”

Competitions such as the UK Women’s Super League (WSL) and the US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), have continued to build their presence in the global landscape.

The WSL has had a 700% increase in attendances, since establishing themselves as a full- time professional league in 2018.

The NWSL has recently increased its salary cap by 40% to $4.1 million for the 2024 season, after securing a significant broadcast deal worth 40 times more than their previous one.

Alongside this, a new American professional league, the United Soccer League’s Super League (USLS) launched in August of this year – with plans underway to continue to expand the competition.

These developments will continue to affect the ALW’s ability to not only retain but also attract talent to the Australian competition, as player salaries and conditions continue to rise in overseas leagues.

Of the 106 foreign player transfers into the ALW since 2018, 63 were Americans. 46% of the imported players (across all nationalities) came directly from the NWSL. With professionalism and club standards continuing to reach greater heights in competitions in America, for example, the ALW may continue to fall behind and not be an attractive proposition for foreign players coming into our competition, but also for players already competing in the ALW.

According to 2023-2024 end of season surveys conducted by the association, ALW players have now rated the NWSL as the second most preferred league to play in, behind the WSL in the UK.

In the previous year, 56% of ALW players put the ALW ahead of the NWSL on their respective lists, but a year later only 41% of players did the same.

It’s a clear sign that these leagues overseas are offering superior opportunities for players, which the ALW needs to try to combat and minimise this impact immediately.

With full time professionalism in the Australian competition set as a clear goal by the PFA, the commercial viability of the league will be at the forefront of any discussions around this.

The ALW did increase their crowds organically in the past season by 72 percent (on the back of a Women’s World Cup on home soil) however the PFA believes there were still strategic missteps that could have led to even further growth.

Based on fan focus groups setup by the organisation, newly converted Matildas fans were ignorant to details about ALW teams and schedules – due to a lack of promotion to spectators who attended international matches.

With the Women’s Asian Cup also to be played in Australia in two years’ time, the same mistakes cannot be made and capitalising on these home tournaments is paramount.

The 2026 Women’s Asian Cup is set to be an important part of the PFA’s proposed professional relaunch of the A-League women’s competition, using the major tournament to enhance the leagues visibility.

Alongside this, the report claims that an improvement of the ALW’s match presentation is needed – from consistent match day experiences, to appropriate venues for games and better broadcast standards.

All of these factors should, alongside overall improvements to club environments, lead to an attractive product that may eventually reap commercial rewards in the future.

The question is however, will the next step of initial investment towards a professional full-time A-League Women’s competition be taken?

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