The following article was printed in the Whittlesea Leader:
A visit to Al Siraat College in Epping North last week by Richmond footballer and devout Muslim Bachar Houli kicked off the school’s campaign towards this year’s Bachar Houli Cup, an inter-Islamic schools football competition. Year 9 and 10 students will take to the field for the first time at the multicultural cup in August against seven other Victorian Islamic schools.
Al Siraat College physical education/health co-ordinator Daniel Saleh said Bachar’s visit was a milestone in the school’s introduction to Australian rules football.
“The students are not as familiar with AFL as other sports because they have come from countries where AFL is a new language to them,” he said.
“As Bachar Houli is one of the first Muslim AFL players, it gives our students great inspiration to learn about the game and be involved in Australia’s most favourite game.”
Houli, one of the AFL’s 10 multicultural ambassadors, launched the Bachar Houli Cup and established the Bachar Houli Academy last year to open up opportunities for Islamic students. AFL multicultural programs coordinator Kashif Bouns said the visit aimed to increase Muslim children’s participation in the community.
“Bachar is one of our best multicultural ambassadors as he was already doing heaps within the community before becoming an ambassador,’’ he said.