The City Football Academy, Melbourne – ctrl:cyber Campus was alive with energy on Friday 11 September as five South-East Melbourne schools came together for the City Futures Cup.
Students from Fountain Gate Secondary College, Hallam Secondary College, Narre Warren South P–12 College, Timbarra P–9 College and Gleneagles Secondary College competed across the Year 7–9 Boys Division and Year 8–9 Girls Division.
The tournament was the culmination of months of preparation through City in the Community’s City Futures program, which delivers year-round, twice-weekly football sessions as a vehicle to improve student engagement, build confidence and strengthen connections between young people, their schools and the wider community.
“Students have been building towards this tournament for a number of months, and it was terrific to see the quality of football on display,” Head of Community, Sunil Menon, said.
“Just as importantly, we have been delighted by the feedback from schools about how engaging and meaningful the City Futures program has been. Our coaches are young people from the South-East themselves. They reflect the diversity of the communities we work in, understand the experiences of the students and are positive role models who genuinely resonate with them.
“That connection is a real strength of the program. Our coaches are a true representation of the South-East, and they show students what is possible through football, education, volunteering, coaching and other pathways.
“We see City Futures continuing to grow, creating even more opportunities for students to stay connected and take their next steps through City.”
For the students, the day was about more than the results. It was an opportunity to represent their schools, celebrate their progress and connect with peers from across Melbourne’s South-East in a positive and supportive environment.
“The City Futures program has been running at our school for two years, and we are seeing strong results both on and off the pitch,” Gleneagles Secondary College teacher Abdullah Mitri said.
“Students look forward to the program, but they also understand the behaviours and academic results they need to maintain to participate. We are seeing really positive results across our Year 7–9 cohorts as a result of having City in the Community involved.”
The City Futures program combines regular football sessions with mentoring, leadership, wellbeing and classroom-based activities. Through the program, students are supported to build stronger relationships with their school, trusted adults and peers.
The City Futures Cup also provided students with the opportunity to experience the City Football Academy and meet Melbourne City players, who presented medals at the conclusion of the tournament.
Socceroos star Awer Mabil was joined by Andrew Nabbout, Lawrence Wong and Beckham Baker for the medal presentations, creating a memorable finish to a special day for the students involved.
