It was a busy month in the community during March for Adelaide United as restrictions around the coronavirus pandemic continued to ease.
Here is a recap of some of the things we have been up to over the last couple of weeks.
Comets Gala Day
Adelaide Comets held its annual Gala Day to launch the new football season on Sunday, 14 March at Ellis Park. Ryan Kitto, Mohamed Toure, Yaya Dukuly, and Noah Smith all attended, interacting with fans and signing autographs.
Childhood Cancer
Our Gameday Charity Partner, Childhood Cancer Association, attended our A-League match against Sydney FC on Sunday, 2 April. Childhood Cancer Association were onsite selling merchandise and collecting donations to support more than 400 local families battling childhood cancer.
Some of the children that Childhood Cancer Association support also had the special opportunity to run onto the pitch at half-time and have a kick with mascot, Elliot, while one of the children also got to be a ball carrier and present the match ball to the referee before kick-off. Reds midfielder and Childhood Cancer Association Ambassador, Georgia Campagnale, also spoke about the incredible work the organisation does.
Playford 10 Project
The Playford 10 Project was created on the back of greater need for young people in the north of Adelaide to be provided opportunities to develop their life skill capability. The project connects children at just 10 years of age to a range of ongoing activities – like football – to connect them with mentors and roles models and to help them build confidence, team work and develop their social skills.
Adelaide United has a strong relationship with the northern community given our training centre is situated in the City of Playford. We invited City of Playford Mayor, Glenn Docherty, to our game against Sydney FC, while participants of the program got to play on Coopers Stadium at half-time.
Club visits
This year our players have been returning to their junior clubs, giving back to the community for a Miniroos Session. The players from both our A-League and Westfield W-League squads helped run training by participating in drills and providing tips about skills and technique.
List of club visits
- Cumberland United Women Miniroos Session – Charlotte Grant, Emily Condon and Emily Hodgson
- Croydon Kings Miniroos Session – Al Hassan Toure and Yared Abetew
- Cumberland United Miniroos Session – Noah Smith and Joe Gauci
- Adelaide Vipers Junior Season Launch – Mohamed Toure and Yaya Dukuly
- MetroStars Miniroos Session – Ben Halloran
School visits
Christian Temple College
Javi López and María José Rojas attended a year 11 Spanish class at Christian Temple College. The pair answered questions prepared by the students in Spanish and discussed their footballing journeys, life in Australia and with Adelaide United. It is the sixth year that our Spanish and South American players have visited the school.
List of school visits
- Plympton College sports day – Yaya Dukuly
- St Paul’s College Harmony day – Kusini Yengi and Al Hassan Toure
- Pinnacle College – Bruce Djite
- Woodville High School – Bruce Djite
- Blakeview Primary – Pacifique Niyongabire
Sporting Schools
Reynella East Primary School
As part of our Sporting Schools program, Domenic Costanzo, Louis D’Arrigo and Charlotte Grant spent the afternoon interacting and running the session at Reynella East Primary School. The Sporting Schools program is a government initiative that is designed to help primary and secondary schools increase participation in physical education.
Adelaide United is the official Sporting Schools provider of football programs in South Australia, and our team of community coaches run participation-based programs focused on developing fundamental skills through game-based activities.
List of Sporting Schools
- Hincks Avenue Primary School
- Australian Islamic College Adelaide
- Hallett Cove School
- Southern Montessori School
- Craigmore High School
- Reynella South Primary School
- Stradbroke School
Junior matchday volunteers for February and March
- Westfield W-League Round 8 vs Canberra United Women – Salisbury Inter
- A-League Matchweek 9 vs Central Coast Mariners – MetroStars
- Westfield W-League Round 11 vs Sydney FC Women – Fulham United
- A-League Matchweek 11 vs Newcastle Jets – West Adelaide and Adelaide Vipers
- Westfield W-League Round 13 vs Western Sydney Wanderers Women – Adelaide Jaguars, Adelaide Comets, Salisbury Inter, Fulham United and Cumberland United Women
- A-League Matchweek 14 vs Sydney FC – Childhood Cancer and Playford 10
Commercial Appearances
- McDonald’s West Richmond Store Opening – James Delianov
- My Money House at Castle Plaza – Emily Condon, Lara Kirkby, Emily Hodgson, Charlotte Grant, Joe Caletti and Joshua Cavallo
