Balga Soccer Club of Western Australia’s State League Two has put out a book in which the club’s culturally diverse members, players, coaches, and other volunteers share their personal stories.
The book, written by Tom Jeffcote, features many inspiring stories, such as that of Grace Dawa and her three children, Curtis, Sean, and Zara, all of whom are South Sudanese refugees. Grace fled to Uganda with her family to escape the war and spent 11 years in a refugee camp before coming to Australia, where she has been made to feel very welcome at Balga.
“I have some writing experience,” the writer told us.
“Ken Shorto, the President of Balga SC, asked me to write the club’s story.
“I agreed to do it on a totally pro bono basis if it was about the people at the club rather than a history of results, etc. Ken agreed, and I put the book together. It is made up of a diverse group of officials, players, both past and present, and, most importantly, parents and their children from all over the world, many of whom are refugees from war-torn countries.”
Together also highlights the Fee-Free Football Programme, which they’ve put in place to get kids to play football without any financial barriers.
“We believe Balga is the only club in Western Australia and indeed Australia that has a Fee-Free Football programme; therefore, it is vitally important in allowing kids to play football when many of them would not be able to,” Jeffcote said.
Club President Ken Shorto explained:
“We have sponsors who support the ideology of Balga Soccer Club and parents and grandparents who help out doing jobs around the club as volunteers. This gets us through and saves us paying people to do these jobs,” he said.
Shorto exemplifies the culture and spirit of Balga as a club. Ken enjoys the club’s lack of egos, open honesty, and camaraderie. He has witnessed and driven the club’s culture change over the years, from a predominantly British membership to today’s multi-cultural community group membership.
“I don’t care what colour people are or ethnic or religious background they have, I just judge them by what they do, act and how they behave,” he added.
The book, which is available at the club for $10, is a worthwhile read for all and is a huge step in the right direction for giving volunteers their due credit while also recognising the purpose football serves for those who don’t have much.
