Rio Tinto helps the Tigers unearth our next Diamonds in the Kimberley

Over 80 female students from remote communities across the Kimberley came together late last week to participate in an AFLX tournament in Halls Creek. The carnival was organised by Shooting Stars, a not for profit which empowers Aboriginal girls and women across WA to make informed choices about their education and employment journey. Students from Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Turkey Creek, Frog Hollow and Kununurra came together to not only compete and develop their footy skills, but this also provided a space for the girls to make positive connections & develop leadership skills.

The Kimberley has been the exclusive football development zone for Claremont Football Club for nearly two decades with the region punching well above their weight in providing footballers to not only the state level but also the national stage of the AFL. The tiny community of Halls Creek itself being the launchpad for former Claremont players, now AFL stars Shane McAdam (Adelaide Crows), Sam Petrevski Seton & Angel Petrevski (WCE), and Ash Johnson (Collingwood). Through the support of our Key Kimberley Servicing Partner Rio Tinto, former Fremantle Docker and most recently Claremont WAFLW premiership player Jasmin Stewart attended last weeks event.

Despite the lengthy journey (a 3-hour flight from Perth to Broome followed by the 7 hour drive out to Halls Creek) the trip was something of a homecoming for Stewart “I felt very honoured and grateful to be a part of the program as well as being up there and representing Claremont football club. With it being held in Halls Creek it felt very close to home for me with my family coming from there, Jaru country”.

Coming through the female football player pathway herself, Stewart spent the carnival umpiring, scoring and mentoring girls “it was amazing to see the amount of girls participating. There is some amazing talent up there, and with the AFL Women’s competition getting bigger and bigger, it’s going to continue to encourage girls from all over the country to be involved. It’s awesome to see the influence it is having within the Kimberley”