Grievance Debate

Southern Suburbs Clubs

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (15:20): I rise today to speak about a number of sporting clubs in our southern community. As you know, Madam Deputy Speaker, sport is many things to many people. It is an institution that many of us in this place love, a pastime that brings us much joy, and indeed, sometimes despair. It is an industry, a profession, a way to be active, undoubtedly a passion for many of us, and crucially a way to bring community members together.

There are many clubs in our southern community filled with community leaders to look out for others and focus on providing an inclusive community space within which fellow community members can thrive. As the seasons change, a number of these clubs have played in finals and have had many reasons both on and off the oval, pitch and court to celebrate an extraordinary sporting year.

Huge congratulations to all of the young women and men who are rightly recognised at the South Adelaide Pink Panthers and South Adelaide Panthers Soccer Club junior and senior presentations. I am very proud to support this club, a club that has developed an excellent culture that encourages young women and men to be their best on and off the field and that enables girls and women to equally and actively participate in all aspects of their chosen sport.

On 5 June, club captain and life member, Molly Duigan, played her 100^th game. Congratulations to Molly, who has played every year since women's football started at South Adelaide in 2005—a wonderful club person and an inspiration to many. Congratulations to the Panthers under 15 girls team who took out the premiership, and congratulations to the many players at this club who have represented their state this year, including Caitlyn Lewis who was this year also awarded the Lions Club of Noarlunga-Morphett Vale's Youth Encouragement Award and whose heart-warming letter to our community to help with funds to get her to the national titles drew much support from fellow community members. I am sure that this step to play on the national stage is just one that she will take as she realises her dream to play for the Matildas.

I also pay tribute to another player at this club, year 9 Woodcroft College student and Panthers star, Megan Alexander, who came to see me about her year 9 project. Through this project Megan chose to set up and raise significant funds for Soccer Sisters, a program where her and her friends will facilitate a girl who is a refugee to play with their soccer team by providing her with equipment, fees and uniform, and most importantly by welcoming her into their club and our community and extending a hand of friendship.

We talked about Megan's passion to get more involved in social justice issues, particularly in support of asylum seekers and about how we can grow her Soccer Sisters program. I pay tribute to Megan for thinking about other people, for her compassion and for choosing to act in support of others. She is an extraordinary leader.

My hearty congratulations to the Southern Tigers Basketball Club on an incredible season throughout their ages and divisions. Well done in particular on an outstanding game and season played by Southern Tigers men to win the Basketball SA Premier League final. It was a pleasure to be among so many passionate Tigers supporters at this event. My congratulations also to the Southern Tigers women's team whose drive and courage saw them make it to the final season but sadly fall just short. It was inspiring to see this team in action during the season, as it was to see their coach, Tracy York, also assistant coach of the 36ers, urge them on to greatness.

It was also a pleasure to get out and watch some of our talented women in sport at a Southern United Netball Association prelim final between Morphett Vale Magic Netball Club and Hub Netball Club. Congratulations to eventual A-grade premiers, Hub 1, and runners-up, Morphett Vale Magic.

It was brilliant also to support our magnificent Onkaparinga Rugby Union Club women's and men's teams in the South Australian Rugby Union grand finals. Sadly, it was not the much hoped-for win, but both teams can hold their heads up very high after courageous performances against South and Old Collegians.

I was very proud to see a number of young women in sport play during our Southern Football League final series. As I said to these young women at our Mail Medal presentations: through their participation this year they have made history and have led the way in getting our Southern Football League girls and women's competition underway. Well done and thank you to everyone who has been involved in bringing this competition to life. I look forward to seeing what these footballers do next year and beyond.

Congratulations also to A-grade SFL Mail Medallist Liam Corrie of the Morphett Vale football club, and Craig Warman and Steve Macklin on being awarded life SFL membership at the Mail Medal evening. Congratulations—although it was not the result I wanted—to the Flagstaff Hill Football Club on their win against Morphett Vale football club in the A grade premiership. I also give recognition to the Noarlunga United Soccer Club, whose women's team, in their first year back on the pitch in decades, fought their way to being Division I champions.