Asian Community Football Day will be hosted by Williamstown Football Club in Melbourne today.

President of the Guangzhou Scorpions, Jon Hopper, has brought this website’s attention to an Asian Community Football Day which will be hosted by Williamstown Football Club in Melbourne.

Guangzhou Scorpions player, Chen Shao Liang, shall play for a Williamstown “All Asian” team against the Southern Dragons, a sister club of the Vietnam Swans.

A video from the Guangzhou Scorpions shall also be shown on the day.

An extract from the Williamstown Football Club’s website is reproduced below.

The Williamstown Football Club (WFC) is proud to announce it will be holding an historic Asian Community Football Day at its home ground, Burbank Oval, on 11 August 2013.

“The aim of this special day is to forge greater links between Melbourne’s Asian and Australian Rules football communities”, explained Williamstown President Trevor Monti.

“One in ten Australians is now of Asian descent. However, the participation rate of Asian Australians in Australian Rules football remains low. Through this initiative, the WFC hopes to stimulate greater interest in Australian Rules within the Asian community, while at the same time fostering greater community-wide integration.”

Activities on the day will include… the battle for the ‘Asia Cup’ – Dragons (a team comprised mainly of Asian Australians who play in the VAFA) versus a Williamstown “Asian All-Stars” team commencing at 11.30am.

“As one of Aussie Rules’ oldest clubs and a leader in Melbourne’s ethnically-diverse Western suburban community, we hope that through this ground-breaking initiative, the WFC can play its part in promoting greater integration, respect and cultural understanding amongst Australia’s increasingly diverse population”, (said Monti).

According to Monti, the Asian Community Football Day is just one key part of WFC’s broader efforts to promote Aussie Rules football and links with Asia. The Seagulls have also taken the progressive step to sponsor of the South China Australian Football League (SCAFL), comprising six teams from Guangzhou, Macau and Hong Kong. One of the SCAFL’s stars, Chinese player Chen Xiaoliang, will play for the Seagulls’ “Asian All-Stars” against the Southern Dragons on the big day.

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