Please note: Images in this article were taken before current COVID-19 safety measures were in place.
Balloon Football All Stars Match
[Vision: Football players being introduced - trophies lined up before the match - coin toss at start of game - game begins at the Melbourne Sports Centre - touch judge waving flags - spectators watching the game - goal being won]
Jye Yates - Bendigo Balloon Football League Founder, captain, junior coach, student liaison
The enjoyment of playing with your friends and mates and every week I can’t wait until we play, each week we make a competition and each week we make it fun.
[Vision: Teams playing balloon football]
Emily Buxton-D’Arcy, Manager, Community Inclusion - communication & Inclusion Resource Centre Scope
Today’s event is about bringing a few representative players from the six different leagues, some of their really strong players together to form two mighty teams and then they battle it out on court.
[Vision: Football players playing balloon football]
Shawn Stevenson, Project officer - Participation & Sector Development Sport & Recreation Victoria
Today’s game is the All Stars game, the St Kilda Saints versus the Western Bulldogs.
The purpose of bringing everyone here is just to show what’s possible when we can bring people with multiple complex disability together from around the state.
[Vision: Teams battling it out in the game - Emily Buxton-D’Arcy speaking - teams playing football]
For me it’s seeing the players grow in confidence is the biggest thing that every player benefits from, from their experience of BFL from the beginning.
[Emily Buxton-D’Arcy speaking]
For a social event it’s very important but there’s also the competition which is ferocious.
[Vision: Teams battling it out in the game - Shawn Stevenson speaking]
I just think that sport, it is a human right.
Nelson Mandela said that it does have the power to change the world and I think it’s important that we give everyone the opportunity to play sports.
[Vision: Teams playing balloon football in competition - touch judge waving flags - player in wheelchair doing his dance moves - teams shaking hands at the end of the game - medals and certificates - spectators applauding teams - medals being awarded - football team posing for a group photo - Jye Yates speaking]
It was good, it was fun, it was a really good competition against the other players because they’re the top players, so hopefully it does keep going every year.
[The Victorian Connection - people, communities & the economy - for more news and stories go to connection.vic.gov.au]
[Victoria State Government - Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne]
