All-abilities sport structures creating opportunities in Geelong

A GEELONG West Football Club player says the continued growth of all-abilities sport in the region is allowing his love of Australian Rules Football to continue.

Sport has been a big part of local footballer Tyler Van Der Meer’s life, playing footy since the age of nine, but it wasn’t always available to him as a child.

“I started Auskick about nine or ten, then had a bit of a gap when I was 12 or 13,” Mr Van Der Meer said.

“It was sort of hard, because after Auskick there weren’t any clubs around for people with disabilities – I didn’t really have anywhere to go.

“I tried a mainstream team, but I just knew from the start that it wasn’t the right fit for me.

“In a mainstream club there’s so many expectations, I mean in an all abilities league you still want to play footy obviously and have that competitive nature to it, but I think peer pressure is the word – there’s less of that I think.”

Mr Van Der Meer joined the Geelong Dragons six years ago and has enjoyed an abundance of success in all-abilities competitions, going on to be selected for state footy teams before transitioning over to the Kardinia Park All Abilities Football Netball League, now in its second year.

Leisure Networks CEO David Meade says Tyler’s experience is quite a common one for young people living with a disability.

“It’s something Leisure Networks has identified across multiple sporting codes. Lots of younger people living with disability are involved in junior sports, up until about 12, toward the end of primary school and as they become teenagers and then it becomes hard because there’s nothing out there for them.

“We have been actively working to curb this trend through different programs and supporting local sporting clubs to build capacity for inclusion of all abilities teams.

“As the Official Inclusion Partner to AFL Barwon, the Kardinia Park All Abilities FNL is just one of the ways we support this.”

Tyler will be putting on his Geelong West Giants guernsey this weekend when he takes to the field in Kardinia Park All Abilities FNL Round 1 at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.

“It’s exciting and we’ll hopefully play in front of a decent crowd, but I’m just looking forward to playing with my teammates again.

“I think that will be the best part. To have that bonding is a great thing and to experience success together, like on field and off the field as well. You cherish those moments for the rest of your life.”