With Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands being closer to Indonesia than Australia, you could be forgiven for thinking that these two Australian territories have no link to Australian football at all.
However a recent visit by West Australian Football Commission Manager of Junior Football, Troy Kirkham has shown otherwise: these largely multicultural communities have a strong affinity for AFL.
With NAB AFL Auskick Centres on both Christmas Island (2300km northwest of Perth) and Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2750km northwest of Perth) the locals on both islands have a love for football and being involved in the game.
Kirkham travelled to the islands as part of the West Australian Department of Sport & Recreation Coach in Residence Program.
On Christmas Island he conducted school clinics, Auskick training sessions and coaching courses for residents who comprise 60 percent Chinese, 30 percent Malay and 10 percent European.
On Cocos (Keeling) Islands Kirkham ran training sessions at the NAB AFL Auskick Centre on West Island. Alongside Centre coordinator and local legend Chris "Woody" Buckland, Kirkham ran two sessions for kids from both West Island and Home Island.
During the second training session all the kids had the opportunity to highlight their skill and athletic ability.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands population is made up of 90 percent Cocos Malay and 10 percent European. Large numbers of the multicultural population took part in all of the sessions and really excelled during the visits.
"It was really encouraging to see the way football has helped bring these already strong communities in Christmas Island and Cocos Islands closer together," Kirkham said.
"There is a real respect and love for the game evident on both islands."
Next year, the West Australian Football Commission and the WA Department of Sport & Recreation will be giving kids from the NAB AFL Auskick Centres on both Christmas and Cocos Islands the opportunity to play at Patersons Stadium during the 2012 AFL Season.
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