South Australia have become the first team to commit to the Athletes with Disability (AWD) division at the 2016 NSR Kanga Cup. The nomination is the first of what the Organising Committee hopes to be a large number of entrants to build on the success of the 2015 edition which continued the remarkable rise of the AWD competition in recent years.
“The squad is an amazing inclusive team of soccer players. We are part of the Special Olympics SA program and our age group is from 14 to 60 years of age. We practice once a week and participate in friendly matches,” Head Coach Igor Ferrari Negrao said. “It is an opportunity to travel and meet different soccer minded people from around Australia. This will be the first time we are participating in the Kanga Cup in the AWD Division We look forward to having fun and playing the games! We also are excited and keen on watching other teams playing the game that we love!
“Keep an eye out for Robbie Mastrogiacomo who is the oldest player in our squad and loves the game. He is a great team member. Amechai Bawden and Jamal Seiler travel over five hours to come to training once a month from Mt Gambier – in the town they train and play with local soccer squads whilst Brodie Wegener – travels from the Riverland three hours away fortnightly to training so they are a committed group.”
“We are delighted to welcome South Australia on board as the first entrants in the 2016 AWD division at the NSR Kanga Cup,” Tournament Director Michael Kelly said. “The growth in this part of the competition since its inception has been terrific and anyone that witnessed any of the matches last year will know just how good the quality of the football is.
We encourage any other organisations, clubs or federations who wish to be part of this event to register their interest now. Our registration portal is open until Friday 27th May and with places filling fast we would recommend an early entry to avoid disappointment.”
The Athletes with a Disability (AWD) Division was introduced at the Kanga Cup in 2012 and provides athletes with the opportunity to be a part of the unique and unrivalled week of football and fun in the Capital. The AWD division at the Kanga Cup is the only opportunity to play teams from other states not at a representative level.
With the success of the division from 2012 onwards, event organisers are looking to increase the number of teams competing in the AWD division for 2016 and, are calling for expressions of interest from groups and local club teams in particular who would like to compete in the largest football tournament in the southern hemisphere. Full Competition details can be found below along with a link to the registration page on our website.
COMPETITION DETAILS
Classification: Athletes with a Disability
Age Divisions: Under 14 and Open
Match Length: Under 14 – 20 minute halves (40 minute game). Open – 30 minute halves (60 minute game).
Match Specifications: Under 14 – 7 v 7 and Open – 7 v 7.
Pitch Size: Under 14 and Open – Length: 60m-70m x Width: 40m.
Ball Size: 5
