WA claims 5th consecutive Kickstart ChampionshipThursday, April 16, 2015 - 4:11 PM

WESTERN Australia’s State under 15 indigenous team were crowned Kickstart Champions at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns yesterday after remaining undefeated throughout the tournament from April 11 to 15.

It was the fifth consecutive year that WA has won the Championships after claiming victory every year since the event’s inception in 2011.

WA player Ryan Bennell starred for the KickStart team and was voted MVP of the tournament, while Joe Hinder was also recognised with WA’s team MVP award.

Bennell and Hinder were among 10 WA players selected for the All-Australian Flying Boomerangs team along with Mitch Henry, Eli Hill, Arthur Jones, Zach Merrit, Heath Ryder, Duane Smith, Sydney Stack and Durack Tucker.

WA coach Shaye Hayden said he was extremely proud of the playing group for their motivation, commitment and success at the Championships.

“This team was comprised of a very talented group of young men that were highly motivated and committed to the WA Kickstart program,” he said.

“Given WA's previous results, the team carried a weight of expectation, but this group of players were determined to create their own legacy and accepted all challenges.

“The players were able to showcase their talent on a national stage and by playing to a very high standard were able to make their families, people and their State proud by successfully completing an undefeated championship.

“The results of the WA Kickstart team over the past five years is a testament to the pathway programs that have been put in place by the WAFC, and is reward for its commitment to the talent identification and promotion of young aboriginal footballers in WA.

“It was also a fabulous initiative to combine the Kickstart and All Nations tour, which directly resulted in relationship building and support, both on and off the field,” he said.

Western Australia’s All Nations team, which also competed at the Championships, was knocked out in the Preliminary Final by eventual winners Queensland. The MVP for the WA All Nations team was Mach Deng, who was selected along with Fred Ruremeshu, Noel Mancuveric and Sandi Mathiang for the World Team.

WAFC Community Engagement Manager Paul Mugambwa said the unity and friendship between the Aboriginal players in the KickStart team and the multicultural players in the All Nations team was fantastic throughout the Championships.

“It was a great outcome keeping the two teams together from the first tryouts through to the carnival itself. We were the only state to run the teams together and this really showed at the carnival with the KickStart boys cheering for the All Nations and vice versa,” he said.

“It was just another reminder of the power of football to bring people together.”