A FEW decades ago, on the streets of St Kilda, a young man popped up with an alternative to what was being offered to those seeking solace from addiction, or what he termed the ‘dark side’.
That young man was Peter Cullen, the Founder of Reclink, and the alternative he offered was playing community sport. Specifically, kicking an Australian Rules football around.
“For all its popularity, cultural significance and media coverage, the most impactful role of footy is largely hidden from view. This role is Reclink footy – footy for people experiencing social disadvantage,” Mr Cullen said.
Decades after Mr Cullen began using football games to create better mental health and greater social inclusion, Reclink has changed lives across Australia.
The Power of a Football is a collection of more than 30 personal stories from all walks of life in the 30 years of Reclink footy.
The book contains stories of big names, unsung heroes and everyone in between – from the early days of its St Kilda roots to the football league it is today across the country.
Throughout the stories are the recurrent themes of hope, passion, inspiration, confidence and the transformative nature of connection and purpose that Australian football provides.
Some contributors have shared deeply personal stories, including Raeles, the oldest player involved in Reclink, who credits Reclink with changing her life.
Other stories focus on passionate volunteers such as Laura, who was a year 12 student when she found herself unexpectedly upgraded from helping to coaching a team, despite being younger than most of her players.
Musician Tim Rogers also shared his story on his lifelong love of footy and how stepping on stage did not compare to the fear he experienced before he played in the Reclink Community Cup.
Respected journalist Martin Flanagan’s Brave Hearts, first published in The Age, tells the compelling story of a game he attended 20 years ago, one which he still considers one of the most memorable AFL games he’s ever seen.
Testimonials from Reverend Tim Costello, Andrew Gaze, Doug Hawkins, Andy Maher, Tim Watson, Sam Kekovitch and more are available at website reclink.org.
Reclink thanked book partners including The Phillips Foundation, The Andrews Family Charitable Fund, Ann Whitelock, Courtney-O’Connor, Darryl Courtney-O’Connor, BlueRock, Legro Lawyers, McCartney Real Estate, Carllision, Eview Real Estate – Werribee, Landers and Rogers and many other donors for making publication of the book possible.
