Live Like You Play Down Under

“It’s never over until we’re shaking hands at the net. Then you’ve either won or you’ve lost, and – either way – you look them in the eye and say, ‘Well played, mate.’”

— Ashleigh Barty, Living Sport for Humanity’s Enlightenment Principle

This month, we are delighted to recognize six Australian athletes who are admired and respected worldwide not only because of their incredible achievements in their respective sports, but more importantly, because they embody the Six Principles of Sport at the Service of Humanity – Compassion, Respect, Love, Enlightenment, Balance and Joy – providing us with shining examples of what it truly means to Live Like You Play!

COMPASSION

Use the power of sport to help others. Share the benefits of Sport to empower those who are poor and disadvantaged.

KATRINA FANNING

Katrina Fanning is a proud Wiradjuri woman and rugby league pioneer who spent a distinguished career advancing equality through sport.

In 2014, she was named Canberra Woman of the Year, and ACT NAIDOC Person of the Year. She was also awarded a Public Service Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for outstanding service to Indigenous Australians in 2015. In 2019, Katrina was the third woman to be appointed to the Canberra Raiders Board of Directors.

In 2020, Katrina received the prestigious ACT Australian of the Year award for her outstanding achievements and volunteer work fighting against homelessness and family violence, championing gender equity and Indigenous development across communities.

RESPECT

Use Sport to build trust and understanding. Respect your opponents. Through sport understand them and their culture more deeply. Condemn violence in Sport – on and off the field of play.

DYLAN ALCOTT, OAM

Dylan Alcott, Medal of the Order of Australia recipient, is a wheelchair basketballer, wheelchair tennis player, radio host and motivational speaker who aims to be a trailblazer for people with a disability.

Alcott was named the 2016 Australian Paralympian of the Year due to his outstanding achievements at 2016 Rio Paralympics. In 2016, Alcott became the first Para-athlete to be awarded Tennis Australia’s prestigious Newcombe Medal, launching Get Skilled Access that same year.

In 2017, he established the Dylan Alcott Foundation to help young Australians with disabilities gain self-esteem and respect through sport and study and was named Australian Patron for International Day of People with Disability. In 2018, he launched Ability Fest, a universally accessible music festival, featuring pathways for wheelchairs, quiet areas for people with sensory disabilities and Auslan (Australian Sign Language).

LOVE

Sport is for all. Do all you can to help everyone take part in sport. Do all you can to enable everyone to compete on equal terms.

MICHAEL LONG

Former champion footballer, Michael Long had an illustrious career playing for the Essendon Football Club. A proud Anmatyerre, Maranunggu and Tiwi Aboriginal man, Long is recognized as one of the most influential and enduring Aboriginal figures, anti-racism champions and voices for reconciliation through sport.

Having dedicated his life to advancing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cause, he was named 2018 Northern Territorian of the Year, in recognition of his significant contributions. In 2015, the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre (MLLLC) officially opened to provide indigenous youth with the same opportunities as all Australians.

“It’s a surreal moment, but something my family and I are very proud of. Without my football career, I wouldn’t have had a platform to drive change.”

— Michael Long at the unveiling of his statue at the entrance of the Essendon Football Club’s Tullamarine headquarters in 2018.

ENLIGHTENMENT

Sport has the power to transform lives and build character. Learn graciousness in victory and perspective in defeat. Apply the values you learn in sport to help you excel in life.

ASHLEIGH BARTY

Professional tennis player Ashleigh Barty is ranked #1 in the world in singles by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). She is also a top 20 player in doubles, having achieved a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the world.

As the National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador for Tennis Australia, Barty dedicates her time to encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to get involved in sport.

Barty was recognised as the Female Sportsperson of the Year at the National Dreamtime Awards, a ceremony that honours Indigenous Australians, in both 2017 and 2018. She was also honoured as the Young Australian of the Year in 2020.

“I’m a very proud Indigenous woman and I think that for me taking on this role is something very close to my heart. I’m very excited.”

BALANCE

Sport has the power to help us make the most of ourselves. So play it in the knowledge that it can revitalise you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. At every stage of life, play for fun, for health, for friendship.

LOUISE SAUVAGE, OAM

1993 Medal of the Order of Australia winner Louise Sauvage OAM is recognised not just for an extraordinarily successful career as a wheelchair racer but also for her pioneering efforts in raising the profile and perception of Paralympic sport and athletes in Australia and around the world.

A highly decorated Paralympian, Sauvage is a four-time Australian Paralympian of the Year. In 1997 the Australian Olympic Committee presented her with the International Olympic Committee Trophy ‘Sport For All’ within Australia.

In 2000 she was awarded the trophy for World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability at the inaugural Laureus Awards hosted by the World Sports Academy. In 2000 she established the Louise Sauvage ‘Aspire to be a Champion Foundation’, administered by the NSW Wheelchair Sports Association. In 2005 she was inducted into the NSW Sports Hall of Champions.

JOY

Sport, above all, is about enjoyment. So enjoy it! And remember, there is more to sport than winning, but when you compete, be and do the best you can, always.

SAM KERR

Samantha Kerr is an Australian football player who plays for Chelsea in the English FA Women’s Super League. She is the current captain of the Australia women’s national soccer team, the Westfield Matildas. As of 2019, Kerr is the all-time leading scorer in both the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States and the Australian W-League.

Kerr was awarded the 2017 Julie Dolan Medal as the best player in Australia and is a four-time recipient of the PFA’s Women’s Footballer of the Year Award. She is the first Australian women’s footballer to be named to the shortlist for the Ballon d’Or, having been nominated in 2018 and 2019.

Named International Player of the Year by the Football Media Association (FMA) in 2013 and 2014, Kerr was named the 2018 Young Australian of the Year in 2018. The same year, she received the ESPY Award for Best International Women’s Soccer Player. In 2019, she became the first Australian player — male or female — to score a hat trick at a World Cup tournament.

Australian Embassy to the Holy See Helps Children in the Philippines Stay Safe-at-Home

In February, Sport at the Service of Humanity received generous funding from the Australian Embassy to the Holy See. Thanks to their contribution, Sport for Humanity was able to create 50 Safe-at-Home educational kits for young people in Tacloban City, Philippines who have been unable to go to school due to the lockdown. These kits are extremely important to help kids stay engaged and connected to school, and therefore more likely to return once schools reopen.

On Friday, March 26th our local delivery partner FundLife International delivered these Safe-at-Home educational kits to 50 families (291 individuals) who have been very hard hit by this pandemic. The kit included essential school items, a hygiene kit with PPE such as a mask and face shield, a food pack and an educational pack, plus an activity book designed to help them navigate the psychosocial challenges of the pandemic.

“The educational packs are already a big help to our family. It includes school supplies for me and we were also provided with load cards. It’s useful for us who rely on the Internet nowadays to answer modules.Thank you to FundLife and Sport for Humanity for not hesitating to help those who are in need.”

— Student

“We are very grateful for the food items included in the pack. My husband lost his job because of the pandemic. We have nothing to rely on but our vegetable garden, the food items are already a huge help.”

— Mother

The Impact of One on the Lives of Many

The impact that these six Australian athletes have made on their sport and their communities, and the difference that the generosity of one gift made on the lives of many, are reminders of the impact we can all have if we choose to Live Like We Play. In this time of global crisis, we remind you to find ways to incorporate Sport for Humanity’s six principles into your lives, and in the process, make a difference to the lives of those around you.