2023 TAC Unity Cup to be a celebration of multicultural footy
The TAC Unity Cup is back for its 16th year in 2023 and will again unite diverse cultural communities through a combination of football and life skills training.
The centrepiece of the TAC Unity Cup is the ‘Gala Day’ event, which is taking place on Sunday, April 23 at La Trobe University Sports Field, Bundoora from 10am to 5pm. A second gala day this year is set for August 19.
More than 30 teams and over 300 participants will compete in the AFL’s modified version of the game, AFL 9s, across different divisions, boys and girls (13-17 year-old) and men's and women's (open age), representing the following:
- Glen Waverley Magpies
- Bharat Bombers
- Geelong Sudo Ninjas
- Gurkhali
- ILIM Cubs
- Melbourne Crescent SC
- Melton Secondary College
- Werribee Centres
- Wyndham Warriors
The TAC Unity Cup program provides a positive platform for young Victorians with multicultural backgrounds to engage with their peers and community through their mutual love for Aussie rules football.
The program is supported by the TAC & the L2P program, which is a community-based volunteer initiative assisting Victorian learner drivers aged 16-21 with no access to a supervising driver or vehicle to gain the 120 hours driving experience required to apply for a probationary licence.
The TAC Unity Cup Gala Day will be a fun-filled event for families and friends of those involved and will feature cultural dances, jumping castles, face painting, a halftime sprint competition and AFLW player appearances.
The program has been a major success over the years, testament to the positive impact it has on the multicultural communities in Victoria.
AFL Schools Ambassador and teacher, Mark Robinson, shared his excitement on the return of the Unity Cup in 2023.
“The highlight of Gala Day for me is looking out at a sea of smiling faces from many different culturally and linguistically diverse communities playing footy side by side across a huge number of fields.
“The Unity Cup program is a great way to meet new friends, form connections with your coaches/teachers, learn more about the many different cultures that come together to play our indigenous game and also to keep fit and healthy.
“Footy is for ALL! There is a place on every footy oval and in every footy team for each and every one of us. The Unity Cup program is a great way to introduce your child to the game of Australian football.“
TAC Unity Cup Gala Day details:
Date: Sunday 23 April, 2023
Time: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Location: La Trobe University Sports Field, Bundoora
The TAC Unity Cup will be in AFL9s format, with teams playing a round robin style competition across the day. There will be the following divisions:
- Boys 13-17yo
- Girls 13-17yo
- Men's open age
- Women's open age
AFL 9s Rules and event setup
AFL9s is the AFL’s alternate format of Australian Rules Football, with high modifications. AFL9s is a fast, fun, free-flowing game that involves 9 players on each team playing on a smaller field. Best of all AFL 9s is 'touch football' with no tackling or bumping, making it suitable for everyone.
- 9-a-side
- 20-minute halves
- Size of ground – 50x80 metres
- Field divided into three zones
- Two handed touch
- Maximum of one (1) bounce
- A behind is worth 1 point and a goal is worth 6 points.
- Scoring - Only designated forwards can kick a goal and must be scored from the forward third
- When the ball goes out of bounds, a free kick is awarded against the player who last touched the ball
- You cannot kick from the back third to the forward third
- Drop Zone rule – if umpire calls ‘drop zone’, the player underneath the ball will have right of way (cannot be bumped out of the way)
