Gift of Green and Gold for Remote WA Football CommunitiesMonday, August 1, 2022 - 1:58 PM - by Mark Readings

The Scarborough Junior Football Club has donated more than 100 guernseys to assist an Auskick program in the Kimberley region of WA. 

Scarborough has gifted seven sets of jumpers to children, who’ll now wear green and gold for training sessions and in matches. 

The kids participate in Garnduwa’s Auskick program, with the donation providing a huge boost for local communities. 

Ben Boyce, President of the Scarborough Junior Football Club, is proud that the concept is helping so many. 

“It’s hugely satisfying for our committee to see the jumpers going to good use. 

I guess you don’t think that something as simple as a playing jumper can make that big of a difference. 

However, when the kids are all watching the AFL or WAFL and the players are running around in matching jumpers its natural that they too would want to be kitted out. 

To bring some of that enthusiasm to these clubs is terrific, which will hopefully build their footy programmes and increase their local participation,” Boyce said.  

The idea to donate jumpers was hatched when a boy from the Kimberley Spirit Program trained with Scarborough while he was studying TAFE in Perth.  

Boyce says a mix up with a guernsey order opened the way for the donation.  

“We received several new sets of playing jumpers from our supplier that had been printed in the incorrect colours. 

Because the supplier had made the mistake and they were of no use to them they let us keep the misprinted jumpers. 

Apart from the colours not being quite right the jumpers were perfect. 

As we were going to receive replacement jumpers from our supplier, we didn’t want these jumpers to go to waste or just sit in a storeroom. 

It was discussed at our regular committee meeting, and we decided to donate them to?a club that may need jumpers,” Boyce said. 

Ben De Meo, co-ordinator of the Garnduwa Kimberley Spirit Program, has detailed how the guernseys will be distributed. 

“The jumpers will be used in our remote communities and towns across the region. 

We’ll use them for our programs across the Kimberley and during Auskick in remote communities,” De Meo said. 

The arrival of the new guernseys has meant more kids attend training and play matches. 

“The jumpers help the kids feel part of a team,” De Meo said. 

Garnduwa helps produce Auskick and football programs in remote communities across the Kimberley, beginning for children in pre-primary to Year 3 students. 

The Scarborough President believes people at every junior club have the same objective. 

“When it comes down to it, whether you are a volunteer down here in Perth or up in the Kimberley, we all devote time and energy to our clubs because we believe sport can play such an important part in a kid’s life. 

I’m proud that Scarborough Junior Football Club has been able to have such a positive influence on these remote football clubs,” Boyce said. 

? 

The Kimberley region now has a special affinity with the Scarborough Junior Football Club.