Laiba Shahzad, an eight-year-old girl from Pakistan , has learned more than a new way of life since moving to Australia. She’s learned a new sport.
Tuesday, 17 May, 2011
Laiba Shahzad, an eight-year-old girl from Pakistan , has learned more than a new way of life since moving to Australia. She’s learned a new sport.
Laiba (pictured), who now makes her home at Durack, is in Grade 3 at the Australian International Islamic College at nearby Forrest Lake and is a big AFL fan.
She says AFL is one of her favourite sports after she completed the NAB AFL Auskick Program.
She did it, Laiba says, because she “wanted to be involved in a team sport” and enjoys the program because “it is fun and good to play games with friends”.
Also a keen swimmer, she says she has started watching AFL on TV since doing Auskick.
Laiba, who moved to Australia with her mother and brothers in 2009 after her father headed Down Under in 2008, was one of 65 AISC students who completed the Auskick program under the AFL Queensland multi cultural program.
It was funded by the Queensland State Government and delivered by AFL Queensland to encourage local families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to participate in AFL football.
Trent Ryan, AFL Queensland Engagement Manager responsible for indigineous and multi-cultural initiatives, said the majority of students at the school like Laiba had very little exposure to AFL prior to the program but had now become passionate about the game.
Daniel Selby, Auskick Development Officer for the Brisbane West Region, said he had really enjoyed delivering the program and watching the development of the students.
“They have adapted really well to a sport that was unfamiliar to them and have been willing to learn new skills,” he said.
Selby is also hopeful the participants will continue their involvement with the game of AFL once the program is completed.
“With the skills they have learnt at Auskick it would be fantastic to see them transition to club football”.
Ryan is also excited about building on the existing relationship between AFL and the local Islamic community.
“Our aim is to use AFL as a vehicle to strengthen community integration. We aim to do this through providing culturally and linguistically diverse participants with the necessary skills become involved and be embraced by community AFL clubs,” he said.
