Invitational XI Debut at National Youth Boys' Tournament

The Invitational XI, a team comprised of talented Indigenous players from across Australia, has made its debut at the 2024 National Youth Championships Boys' Tournament, marking a significant step forward in showcasing First Nations footballing talent.

Competing in the Under 16 Age Group, the Invitational XI reflects Football Australia's commitment to nurturing emerging First Nations footballers and providing them with a platform to display their skills on a national stage. The tournament is taking place from 16-21 July at WIN Stadium, JJ Kelly Park, and Ian McLennan Park in Wollongong, NSW.

The team represents sixteen different Indigenous Nations, from the Torres Strait Islands to Southern New South Wales, truly making it a melting pot of the best Indigenous Boys' talent in Australia. Due to the wide-reaching makeup of the squad, the players met for the first time in person, on Monday, 15 July, one day before the tournament commenced.

Thomas Weatherall, identified as a top talent by Football Queensland, was selected from grassroots football and receives a chance to make his mark in front of talent scouts. Martin Dickerson, who was nominated and encouraged by Perth Glory FC and Football West to be selected for this opportunity, travelled the furthest to join the team in Wollongong.

Many of the players also recently competed in the NAIDOC Cup, which was held between Football NSW and Northern NSW Football, strengthening the bonds between the players ahead of this week's tournament.

The Invitation XI is coached by Tim Aitken, a Koori man from Albury/Wodonga, who is also part of the coaching staff at Macarthur Bulls FC and serves as the CommBank Young Matildas' Assistant Coach. Current Futsalroo, Jamie Dib, is also on the coaching staff.

The Boys' team follows the success of the Invitational XI Girls' team, which has competed in the previous two National Youth Championships Girls' Tournaments, finishing eighth in the 2024 event.

Jake Wynne will follow in the footsteps of his older sister, Lacey Wynne, who was a member of the 2023 Invitational XI Girls' team.

Tim Aitken was also head coach of the first Invitational XI Girls' team in 2023 hopes to see the same success for the Boys' team.

"Following the remarkable success of the girls' team, it's incredibly exciting to see the boys now have this opportunity, this is great step forward," Aitken said.

"Without the support of Football Australia, we wouldn't have the opportunity to compete in these tournaments, and for some of these players who are on the cusp of being selected for their state team, this gives them an opportunity to actually play in front of National Team coaching staff.

"We speak a lot about their culture, who they are here representing, and what it means to represent your culture. This takes a lot of them out of their comfort zone and helps them grow as young men," Aitken concluded.

Invitational XI 2024 National Youth Championships Boys' Tournament Squad

2024 National Youth Championships - Boys

Venue: WIN Stadium, JJ Kelly Park, Ian Mclennan Park, Wollongong.

Dates: 16 - 21 July 2024

This is a free event to attend with no ticket required

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