The Victorian FIDA (Football Integration Development Association) Football League (VFFL or simply FIDA) is an Australian rules football based in Victoria. The competition provides people with an intellectual disability the chance play football at a competitive level.[1][2]
 | |
| Sport | Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1990 |
| Administrator | AFL Victoria |
| No. of teams | 28 |
| Country | Australia |
| Related competitions | |
| Official website | fida.org.au |
The league is mix-gendered and open to people aged 14 and over, with four regional conferences, the largest being in metropolitan Melbourne.[1][3]
As of 2022, FIDA has 28 clubs and approximately 800 players.[4] The competition is supported by the Hawthorn Football Club, Box Hill Hawks, Coburg Football Club and Williamstown Football Club.[4]
History
editOrigins and formation
editOn 18 June 1989, a football clinic for people with an intellectual disability was run by the Hawthorn Football Club and the Hawthorn City Council.[5] Hawthorn players Peter Curran and Rob Dickson were among those conducting the clinic.[6]
A skills and match day was held a year later on 21 October 1990 following a steering committee, where the "Football Integration Development Association" name was agreed on.[6]
The first FIDA matches were held on 7 March 1991. Six clubs – Chadstone Chargers, Werribee Blues, Mitcham Tigers, Hawthorn, Royal Magpies and Heidelberg – participated in the first round, with Broadmeadows and Keilor Saints joining the competition later in the year.[6]
The 1991 grand final was held at Glenferrie Oval, with Chadstone (who were undefeated for the season) defeating Mitcham 19.14 (128) to 2.5 (17). Former Hawthorn coach John Kennedy Sr, whose son Bernard played for Chadstone, presented the trophy and medallions.[6]
Four new clubs entered the competition in 1992, and it was expanded to a multi-division format with Division 1 and Division 2.[6]
VAFA links
editIn 1993, FIDA established relations with the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA), who agreed to house the FIDA co-ordinator at VAFA headquarters at Elsternwick Park. The VAFA agreed to promote FIDA, with the VAFA Umpires Association also supplying umpires to the competition.[6]
The links with the VAFA were formally established in 1995, supporting FIDA to grow further. The same year, Bendigo also entered the competition as its first regional-based club.[6]
Recent growth
editFIDA employed a General Manager in 2009, which saw the competition develop rapidly.[5] By the end of the 2015 season, FIDA had more than 600 players, and the running of the competition was taken over by AFL Victoria.[5]
No season was held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2021 season was curtailed because of COVID-19 restrictions.[5][7]
Clubs
editMetropolitan Conference
edit| Club | Colours | Nickname | Est. | First season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AJAX |  |
Jackas | 1957 | 2023[8] |
| Ballarat Bulldogs |  |
Bulldogs | 2016 | 2016[9] |
| Carrum Downs |  |
Jets | ???? | ???? |
| Coburg |  |
Lions | 1891 | 2017[10] |
| Cranbourne |  |
Eagles | 1889 | 2021[11] |
| Eltham | |
Panthers | 1904 | 20?? |
| Ferntree Gully |  |
Eagles | 18?? | 2012[12] |
| Fountain Gate Gators |  |
Gators | ???? | 2023 |
| Kananook Bulls |  |
Bulls | ???? | 2017 |
| Keon Park |  |
Tigers | 1965 | 2024 |
| Lower Plenty |  |
Bears | 1962 | 2016 |
| Mazenod Panthers |  |
Panthers | 2005 | 2005 |
| Monash Demons |  |
Demons | 2020 | 2020 |
| Parkside |  |
Devils | 2017 | 2017 |
| Ringwood Spiders |  |
Spiders | 1992 | 2021 |
| Sandown Cobras |  |
Cobras | 2010 | 2010[13] |
| St Albans | |
Saints | 1946 | 2015 |
| Williamstown |  |
Seagulls | 2011 | 2011[14] |
| Wyndham Tigers |  |
Tigers | 2010 | 2010 |
- Monash Demons was known as Mount Waverley Demons in 2020
Northern Conference
edit| Club | Colours | Nickname | Est. | First season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benalla |  |
Saints | 1871 | 2024[15] |
| Echuca Moama |  |
Rockets | 2010 | 2010[16] |
| GV Stars |  |
Stars | 2014 | 2016 |
| North Albury |  |
Hoppers | 1943 | 2023 |
| Wangaratta |  |
Magpies | 1875 | 2021[17] |
| Wodonga |  |
Bulldogs | 1878 | 2??? |
Central Conference
edit| Club | Colours | Nickname | Est. | First season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bendigo Suns | |
Suns | 2018 | 2018[18] |
| Kyneton |  |
Tigers | 1868 | 2021 |
| Rupertswood |  |
Sharks | 1999 | 2021 |
Western Conference
edit| Club | Colours | Nickname | Est. | First season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grampian Giants |  |
Giants | 2017 | 2017 |
| South Warrnambool |  |
Hurricanes | 2013 | 2013 |
| Wimmera Whippets | |
Whippets | 2016 | 2016 |
- South Warrnambool was known as the Hampden Hurricanes until 2017
Former clubs
edit| Club | Colours | Nickname | Est. | Seasons | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bendigo Warriors |  |
Warriors | 19?? | 1995−???? | Folded |
| Broadmeadows | |
19?? | 1991−???? | Folded | |
| Chadstone Chargers | |
Chargers | 19?? | 1991−1996 | Merged 1997 with Mitcham Tigers to form Lions |
| Colac | |
19?? | 1999−???? | ||
| Footscray Underdogs (Footscray/Sunshine) |
|
Underdogs | 19?? | 1992−???? | Folded |
| Geelong | |
1997 | 1998−???? | ||
| Geelong Dragons | |
Dragons | 2018 | 2018−2023 | Folded 2023 |
| Hamilton Boomers | |
Boomers | 2019 | 2019−2022 | Folded 2022 |
| Hawthorn Centrals | |
Centrals | 19?? | 1992−???? | Folded |
| Heidelberg | |
Bomers | 19?? | 1991−???? | Folded |
| Karingal Bulls | |
Bulls | 19?? | 1992−???? | Folded |
| Keilor Saints | |
Saints | 19?? | 1991−???? | Folded |
| Lions | |
Lions | 1997 | 1997−???? | Folded |
| Mambourin Tigers | |
Tigers | 19?? | 1999−???? | |
| Marlins | |
Marlins | 1996 | 1996−1997 | Folded 1998 |
| Maribyrnong | |
19?? | 199?−???? | Folded | |
| Mitcham Tigers | |
Chargers | 19?? | 1991−1996 | Merged 1997 with Chadstone Chargers to form Lions |
| North Ballarat | |
19?? | 1999−???? | ||
| Parkside | |
19?? | 199?−???? | ||
| Ringwood Blues | |
Blues | 19?? | 1992−???? | Folded |
| Royal Magpies | |
Magpies | 19?? | 1991−???? | Folded |
| Werribee Blues | |
Blues | 19?? | 1991−???? | Folded |
| Werribee Toyota Crows | |
Crows | 19?? | 1992−???? | Folded |
References
edit- ^ a b "FIDA". AFL Central Victoria. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "The Victorian FIDA Football League Is Australia's Biggest And Oldest Disability Football Competition". news.com.au. CODE Sports. 30 March 2023. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Clubs". FIDA. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ a b Lees, Oliver (4 June 2022). "Push to bring inclusive football to eastern Victoria for people with disability". ABC News. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d "THE FIDA STORY". FIDA. Archived from the original on 6 July 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "History". FIDA. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ Johnston, Andrew (17 June 2020). "Rockets will not launch in 2020". Shepparton News. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "All-abilities team makes its mark". Australian Jewish News. 9 June 2023. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Home Page". GameDay. Ballarat Bulldogs. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Home". GameDay. Coburg Football Club. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Cranbourne". GameDay. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Home". GameDay. Ferntree Gully Eagles. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Cobras side raring for 2024". Dandenong Star Journal. 9 February 2024. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "WSFIDA". Williamstown Seagulls FIDA Football Club. Archived from the original on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
Williamstown Seagulls FIDA Football Club is a football club which was set up in 2011 to provide sporting opportunities for people with Intellectual Disabilities in the Inner Western suburbs of Melbourne.
- ^ Ruppert, Simon (6 May 2024). "Great day out at Benalla All-Abilities Footy Carnival". Benalla Ensign. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
Subsequently, I've moved to Benalla and this is its first-ever team, a FIDA club
- ^ "Meet the Rockets, the all-abilities Australian rules team changing lives and a community". ABC News. 22 July 2022. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
The Rockets were born 12 years ago.
- ^ "Merriwa Magpies ready for 2022 Season". Merriwa. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Bendigo enters team into the FIDA Football League". AFL Central Victoria. 24 April 2018. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "CLUBS". FIDA. 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-08-05. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "The Amateur Footballer Week 3 1995" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 22 April 1995. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024.