The West Coast Eagles are the fifth team in the league, joining Perth, the previous expansion team, and the 2022 WAWFL champions, East Perth, Swan Districts, and Subiaco.
As founding partners of the WA All Abilities Football Association, the Club’s entry into the wheelchair football league is an essential step in solidifying its current commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The five teams are made up of competitors with and without disabilities, and the competition is accessible to players of any age or skill level.
At the WAWFL come and try day last Sunday, where new players could try wheelchair football before participants were awarded their teams for the 2023 season, the inaugural West Coast Eagles team was formally locked in.
Richard O’Connell, general manager of West Coast Eagles Community and Game Development, emphasized the club’s enthusiasm for playing in the WAWFL.
The West Coast Eagles adhere to the tenet that “football is for everyone. We were one of the first partners to get engaged in the WAFC Starkick program, which is why we humbly support such outstanding organizations as Perth Football League Integrated Competition, WA Disabled Sports Australia, WA All Abilities Football Association, and others,” O’Connell added.
We applaud the Swan Districts, Perth, Subiaco, and East Perth wheelchair football teams for setting the bar high for such organizations. We are honored to take their example and participate in the expanding competition that the WA All Abilities Foundation is zealously directing.
The West Coast Eagles want to give players from the WA Disabled Sports Association the chance to be given priority in the team for the 2023 season in order to further improve our ties club wide with our current programs.
“Jackson Nelson, our WAFL captain and new wheelchair team coach, supports WADSA’s activities program by spending time with them. He’s excited to see our first-ever wheelchair squad take the court during our debut season, according to O’Connell.
“We urge anyone who has ever considered getting involved in something new to give it a try and socialize with some fresh faces while being active.
“We are proud to sit alongside the current WAFL teams that already have a wheelchair football team and promote to our supporters another way they or their family members can participate in football,” the team said.
Executive Director of the WA All Abilities Football Association, Hayden Marchetto, expressed his excitement about the West Coast Eagles joining the league in 2023 and expressed hope for the WAWFL’s future growth.
“The West Coast Eagles joining the WAWFL is a game-changer. Their extensive history boosts our league’s visibility, authority, and enthusiasm. It’s more than simply a new team; West Coast is one of the most prestigious teams in Australian sport, so it’s a big boost for the WAWFL’s development and for inclusion footy in general in Australia,” Marchetto said.
The WAWFL has continued to expand in its first two seasons because to club and player participation, fan engagement, and media interest. The expansion of the league is further aided by the acquisition of a new team, particularly one with the stature of the West Coast Eagles.
We are confident that this season will add to the legacy of our league by featuring thrilling contests and highlighting the extraordinary skill of our players.
At HBF Stadium, the WA Wheelchair Football League gets underway on October 8 and runs for eight consecutive Sundays before the championship series on December 3. The West Coast Eagles are excited for their first season in the league and intend to leave a lasting impression both on and off the court.
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