By BRIDGET COOK
BEFORE Habib Khan moved to Australia from Afghanistan in 2007, he knew nothing about Aussie rules football.
Now the Cranbourne teenager is the poster boy for the sport as part of a Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY) initiative aimed at encouraging other migrants to get involved in sport.
This month the State Government released a new series of short films featuring four newly-arrived migrants and their remarkable transition into Australian life through sport.
Habib is one of the stars of the ‘My Team’ videos and shares his story about joining a Cranbourne football club, where he learnt all about the sport and made new friends along the way.
He has a keen interest in sports, especially AFL and believes that sport is an effective tool to engage with young people.
Habib volunteers at his local YMCA and has set up sports teams at his school to extend opportunities for young people and also does some work with the Richmond Football Club by accompanying other migrants along to the games.
Habib said that before coming to Australia, he knew nothing about Aussie rules football.
“One day I was walking home from school through a local park and saw a few guys playing there,” he said.
“I asked one of the coaches if I could join and have been playing footy for four years now.”
Habib said the best thing about being involved in sport was getting involved in the community.
“The best thing for me is the enjoyment of when I’m playing and meeting new people.
“I have made some good friends out of it.”
Habib said he got some flak when he first started out, but things were changing.
“When I first started playing, people used to call me a terrorist but I got used to that,” he said.
“In the second year my team-mates backed me up.
“There are still challenges in different sports with people not being accepting of different races and cultures getting involved, but that’s changing.
“When I started I didn’t see any African people playing or others from different cultures, it was mainly Aussies.
“But this year when I started there were lots of people from different cultures.
“The coaches have been so supportive and so have my team-mates, which is really good.”
CMY chief executive Carmel Guerra said it was hoped these videos would increase the sport sector’s awareness of the unique barriers this group of young people face, when accessing sport and recreational opportunities.
“Participating in formalised sport is not a priority for migrants settling in Australia and only becomes one as they integrate,” she said,
“The sports industry needs to undertake meaningful community engagement with our culturally diverse communities, to ensure that migrant and refugee young people are active and able to participate in sport and recreational activities.”
To view My Team films visit www.youtube.com/user/MulticulturalYouth.
