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Street Footy Team Shatters Stereotypes

15 October 2009
Wellington’s Street Footy team won the Fairplay award at a recently completed ‘Mini World Cup’ tournament in Lower Hutt. 

The multi-ethnic tournament, organised by Sportzone, provided helpful game experience in the 11 a side format. 

While suffering a heavy first up loss to eventual finalists Somalia, Street Football Wellington came back to narrowly lose to Ethiopia, win an exciting 3-0 match over Chile and in their final pool game were overcome by Lower Hutt Police.  

The Fairplay award was well earnt after some tough games against competitive opponents. 

Street Football Aotearoa national coordinator Katie Owen says, “All the guys handled themselves incredibly well in some really stressful situations. 

“They didn’t receive one card in any of their games and they always displayed great sportsmanship”. 

DCM is the local agency involved in supporting Wellington’s Street Football team.

Director Stephanie McIntyre says, “Our players demonstrated a level headedness that many professional sports people could learn from. It refutes the stereotype that people from homeless backgrounds are generally antisocial”. 

Street Football Aotearoa is gearing up for the national Street Footy Championships that are being held on Wellington’s Queens Wharf on November 14. 

The tournament takes place on the same day as New Zealand’s All Whites take on Bahrain in the FIFA World Cup qualifing decider.

Katie says, “It’s promising to be a real feastive occasion with other events like Futsal demonstrations also planned”. 
 
ends

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