HAVING a disability isn’t holding back local futsal players from competing in mainstream competitions.

The All Abilities Futsal team has had 5 of their players recently join the Monday night mixed social competition.

“We have our All Abilities Program on a Thursday where we have about 12 participants, and I just asked them flat out whether they would like to put a team together for the mixed social competition,” explains Chris Whitfield,

All Abilities Futsal Program Manager. “They all just jumped at the opportunity.”

The team of five players and two carers, including Chris, are not only enjoying the new competition, but are also coming 7th out of 16 teams.

“They are going above and beyond what a lot of people were expecting of them,” Chris said. “And they are having so much fun doing it.”

There is now talk of the AAF team playing other teams interstate, which requires some much-needed fundraising.

“We are looking at fundraising at the moment to get the guys some uniforms,” said Chris. “They absolutely love it and this competition is really setting the bar for inclusiveness".

“For some of them, when they were younger, they were actually excluded from playing a lot of mainstream sports, specifically soccer and football. So they were left behind in a lot of ways".

“This has given them the opportunity to prove to people that they can do it and it’s really the first opportunity they’ve been offered to actually go out there and have a crack at it".

“Everyone from Port Macquarie Futsal has been so supportive and the other teams that play them have said how much fun it is playing them because they’ve all got smiles on their faces".

“It takes it back to what sports is about – having a bit of fun. It’s been nothing but positive feedback from everyone.”

Alistair Flower from the Settlers Inn has given the Futsal team a venue to hold a fundraising event from 7pm on Saturday, October 13. There will be a giant raffle, a karaoke machine, food, and drink. The theme is ‘dress as your favourite sports star’.

Come along, have some fun, and support your local Futsal team.

Chris would also like to thank The Game Over Café at the Port Macquarie Sports Stadium for their continued support and sponsorship throughout the season.

For more information and updates of the fundraising event visit the All Abilities Futsal Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ AAFutsal/