The National Para Football Championships 2024 kicked off in Canberra as teams took the field at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Six Member Federations from around the country participated over the course of the first day, with plenty of goals and end-to-end action keeping the spectators entertained.
MORE THAN A GAME FOR FOOTBALL SA
The National Para Football Championships have always been more than just a competition. For the athletes who take part, it's a place where connections are formed and bonds are built, bringing together people facing the same challenges from all corners of Australia.
The joy of being part of such a supportive and inclusive community was felt by the Football SA squad as they kicked off their campaign with a 1-0 win over Football Queensland.
"It was so great to start with a big win over Queensland," squad member Tahlia Blanshard said.
"We've got a really excellent squad and a big mix of experience and debutants at Nationals, so it was just really exciting to get out there and be happy to be playing."
"Everyone is just having an absolute ball both on the field and off the field, and we're really looking forward to the rest of the tournament.
"Even today, we've had so many people just being able to chat and connect and talk about things to do with their disability where they may not get that opportunity to connect with so many other people who are just like them anywhere else but here," Blanshard concluded.
NSW LOOK TO EXTEND NATIONALS' SUCCESS
Football NSW asserted their dominance early in the tournament with a convincing 7-0 victory over Football West, despite most of the match being locked at 0-0.
After winning 17 out of the past 18 National Para Championships, there's no doubt Football NSW came into the tournament as favourites, but the team faced a tough test from Football West in their opening match.
CommBank Pararoo and Football NSW strike weapon Daniel Campbell said it took some time for NSW to find their groove.
"The boys were a bit rusty at the start, but then we got into the swing of things in the second half and the floodgates opened," said Campbell, who also scored a hat-trick late in the match.
"It was really tight in that first half, WA were giving it to us. In the second (half), we did a little tactical swap and that's when we opened them up and took the lead."
With their eyes set firmly on the prize, Campbell says the team is excited to test themselves against different opposition at this year's Para Nationals.
"The Para Nationals is really good for development. We get to see new players each year from other states so it's great to be able to test ourselves against them," Campbell stated.
FOOTBALL VICTORIA'S WINNING FORMULA SPARKS OPENING VICTORY
For Football Victoria, success on the field goes hand in hand with their bond off it.
The team's closeness was on full display as they started their National Para Football Championships campaign with a strong 5-1 victory over Northern NSW.
"We kicked off with a win and I got three goals in the first half, so there's nothing much better than that. The boys in the second half pulled it through, so onto the next game," Football VIC striker Joshua Beekes said.
"The camaraderie in our team is great, we're a family through and through. We're a bunch of brothers, and we just play and have fun. When the new guys come through, we look after them, push them, and trust each other and that is displaying on the pitch."
Football Victoria's bond wasn't built overnight, with the team training together at least once a fortnight to strengthen both their game and their connection.
"The goal is to replicate games like this. We have a few tougher matches ahead of us. If we pull through and trust one another, we can find the results that we want," Beekes concluded.
Day Two of the National Para Football Championships 2024 commences at 9:00am AEST on Thursday, with Football SA playing Football VIC. Click HERE
