Breaking Barriers: Edgewater Woodvale Junior Football Club Makes History with Multilingual Website
“Footy is for Everyone” – 足球是为每个人的 – Voetbal is vir almal – كرة القدم للجميع – 足球係畀每個人嘅 – Το ποδόσφαιρο είναι για όλους – Ang football ay para sa lahat – फुटबॉल सभी के लिए है – Il calcio è per tutti – 축구는 모든 사람을 위한 것입니다 – ਫੁੱਟਬਾਲ ਸਭ ਲਈ ਹੈ – Bóng đá là dành cho mọi người – Kubadda cagta waa qof kasta – Mpira ni kwa kila mtu
In a groundbreaking move that’s set to transform junior football in Western Australia, the Edgewater Woodvale Junior Football Club has become the first junior footy club in the state to offer its website in multiple languages, breaking down barriers and opening its digital doors to families from diverse cultural backgrounds.
The club’s website can now be accessed in an impressive 11 languages including Chinese (Simplified), Afrikaans, Arabic, Cantonese, Greek, Filipino, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Punjabi, Vietnamese, Somali, and Swahili, with plans to add even more languages in the coming months.
This pioneering initiative represents more than just technological advancement – it’s a powerful statement about inclusion and community spirit that goes to the heart of what Australian Rules Football represents.
A Vision of Inclusion
Club President Jarrod Greenwood couldn’t be prouder of this milestone achievement. “We want to recognise that footy is for everyone,” Greenwood said. “AFL has a proud history of welcoming people from all nationalities and we are proud to drive that through our club at the junior level. This website translation project is just the beginning of our commitment to ensuring every family in our community feels welcome at Edgewater Woodvale.”
The initiative comes at a time when Western Australia’s communities are increasingly multicultural, with families from dozens of countries calling Perth home. For many of these families, language barriers have traditionally made it challenging to fully engage with local sporting clubs and understand registration processes, training schedules, and club culture.
Technology Meets Community Spirit
The multilingual website ensures that parents and guardians can access crucial information about junior football in their preferred language, from understanding the club’s values and coaching philosophy to navigating registration forms and connecting with other families.
“When a parent can read about our club’s commitment to player development, safety protocols, and community values in their own language, it creates an immediate sense of belonging,” Greenwood explained. “We’re not just translating words – we’re translating our welcome.”
A Model for the Future
The club expects other junior football organisations across Western Australia and beyond to follow their lead, creating a new standard for inclusive community sport.
At Edgewater Woodvale JFC whether you call it football, footy, or use any of the dozen languages now featured on our website, the game belongs to everyone.
Photo Credit: AFL
