5 days ago
WA All Abilities footy volunteers honoured
The unsung heroes behind the WA All Abilities Football Association have been recognised with a prestigious volunteer award for their tireless work championing inclusive footy.
The association, based out of Tuart Hill, received the WA Inclusive Volunteering Award at the recent 2025 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards.
It was one of seven winners chosen from more than 230 nominations.
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The WA All Abilities Football Association was created to promote and grow disability football across the State.
It provides opportunities for people of all abilities to participate in Aussie rules, whether it's wheelchair football, Starkick junior footy, blind AFL, or through its integrated competitions.
From coaching training sessions and managing match days to mentoring players with disabilities, a committed volunteer team comprising family, friends, and passionate community members has worked tirelessly to make footy accessible to all, regardless of ability or background. Sportsmanship was on full display in the Integrated football competition as North Beach took on Fremantle CBC. Credit: Kiara Blake
WA All Abilities Football Association executive officer Hayden Marchetto said the volunteers were the true champions behind the success of disability footy across WA.
'Our volunteers are everything; they're the ones doing the hard work to make inclusion real at the grassroots level,' Mr Marchetto said.
'The award gives volunteers a moment to pause and realise they're part of something bigger that really matters.
'Knowing inclusion is being recognised and valued at a State level means the world to us all.'
From Warnbro and Kelmscott in Perth's south to North Beach and the newly established Wanneroo team in Perth's north, more than a dozen football clubs have a dedicated all-abilities team. Kristen Stevenson from the Minderoo Foundation presents the Inclusive Volunteering Award to Hayden Marchetto. Credit: Supplied
Not only have players in competitions run by the association gained the opportunity to play footy and be part of an inclusive community, but they have also enjoyed the rare experience of competing at Optus Stadium before an AFL match and travelling interstate for national events such as the Toyota AFL Open, where WA's inclusion team secured third place overall in last year's inaugural event.
Mr Marchetto hopes more clubs recognise the value of all-abilities sports and believes inclusive teams should be embraced wherever possible.
'We believe every club should have a place for inclusion. If a club has 10 teams, at least one should be for people with disabilities; the club is better off with it,' he said.
'Sport should be for everyone — all cultures, all backgrounds, all abilities. If we get that right, society is better for it.
'Footy happens to be our vehicle, but any sport can create this kind of impact.' The Wanneroo Amateur Football Club Integrated Team joined the competition this year. Credit: Perth Football League / Facebook
Mr Marchetto believes the interactions players experience by being part of a wider community and club are immeasurable — not just for them but for their families as well.
'When you've got 200 or 300 people from the one club connecting, forming natural supports, it might just be a passing conversation, but for someone with an intellectual disability that's powerful. They're not just in the club, they're part of it,' he said.
'Then there's the mental health benefit for parents, especially fathers — seeing their child included in a community sporting club, just like their friends' kids, can really make a difference.
'And all this wouldn't be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, who give their time and energy to support the programs.' Sport can benefit both players and their families. Credit: Kiara Blake
Speaking at the 2025 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards, Volunteering WA CEO Tina Williams said giving back brings people together.
'Volunteering WA is proud to celebrate the 2025 WA Volunteer of the Year Award recipients, who exemplify the highest standards of service and altruism, proving that every individual has the power to create meaningful change,' she said.
'This year's winners are ambassadors for connecting communities and show us that with passion, dedication and selflessness, any one of us has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of others.'
