Indigenous themed playing shirts revealed

MetroStars are delighted to reveal the specialty playing kits for this week's Indigenous themed NPL match against Croydon FC.

MetroStars embrace and celebrate the contribution of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to our game, and pledges to take significant action to break down the barriers for indigenous people in the sport.

A plan has been put into place to ensure indigenous engagement is put at the forefront of development into our great game.

On Friday 7th May 2021, MetroStars will be hosting and participating in SA’s first indigenous themed NPL match when they take on Croydon Kings.

Indigenous themed playing shirts worn by both sides have been designed by students from the South Australian Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy (SAASTA) as part of their cultural studies.

The MetroStars playing kit was designed by student Myarn Alden from the SAASTA Aboriginal Football Academy. The SAASTA Aboriginal Football Academy is a sports-based education program for Aboriginal Students run in partnership with the North Eastern MetroStars Soccer Club. Here he explains the design and what it means to her:

My name is Myarn Alden, my skin name is Numbajin. I am a proud Kija and Juru woman from the Kimberley. Traditionally where I’m from our art uses dot painting to tell stories. The story behind my design is about the first two teams MetroStars and Croydon, coming together for the indigenous round. On the front the red stream represents the MetroStars colour but also symbolises the red dirt on my country. The yellow outline of the red stream represents the Torrens River that makes its way to the MetroStars home ground. The circles convey the two teams MetroStars and Croydon. I learnt this technique from my Kumputu (Great grandmother on my maternal side). She is a Ngarti women from Halls Creek. Growing up I gained her knowledge about our beautiful art and how to express a story through our dot painting. The Kangaroo footprints signifies the two teams walking together. The boomerang is a part of the South Australian Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy (SAASTA) logo. SAASTA partners with MetroStars to run the Aboriginal Football Academy (AFA). The AFA gives Aboriginal students from around the country the opportunity to come together to learn and play football together. The white dots on the back are stars for MetroStars. The stars also remind me of my country and being with family at my community.

Croydon will also wear a specially designed kit by Aboriginal Football Academy student and Croydon Under 18 player Ajay Nguyen:

As a young and proud Adnyamathanha man, I carry a lot of pride throughout my culture and within my sports. So to be able to have the chance to design an Indigenous round Guernsey that represents my Adnyamathanha mob as well as the Croydon Kings, the soccer club I play for with such passion, means the absolute world to me. The front design of the Guernsey represents the concept of connectedness that comes with being part of a football club. Circles are often used in Aboriginal art as a representation of a meeting place. On the front of the guernsey there are multiple circles which represent different cultures coming together both individually in a group and also interconnected as one (Croydon) - given they are joined together by their shared paths. This is how I view our club, as a space for many cultures to come together as one but still celebrate their individual identity & background. On the back shoulders; the small dots represent the rock covered mountains of my home country, Adnyamathanha land. This is a special place for me and something I wanted to include on the guernsey as it brings a piece of my country to my club. The two lines form paths which lead from the ranges of Adnyamathanha Country to Kaurna country, where our club lies. This represents my journey from my homeland towards the club. The sun represents new beginnings, something I found on my soccer journey at Croydon.

The event will commence at 6:15pm and highlights will include a Welcome to Country ceremony by Mr. Jamie Goldsmith, Yidaki (digeridoo), a Smoking Ceremony, the Taikurtinna Dance Group and of course, the match itself.

MetroStars would like to thank our Corporate Partner Beyond Bank for making this special community event possible.