By KATH GANNAWAY
IN 2012, Yarra Glen footballer Jason Ball was understandably apprehensive when he came out as a gay footballer.
“I thought Yarra Glen, being a small regional town, was the last place I would find support, but I was wrong,” he told the Mail the week after playing in the Second Division grand final.
On 3 May, another small Yarra Valley town will show its support for Ball’s campaign to tackle homophobia in the sport when the Yarra Junction Eagles meet Yarra Glen Thunder in the inaugural Pride Cup.
It’s a match that is set to establish a new precedent for inclusion in sport for the lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and intersex (LGBTI) communities, and it’s significant that, with the backing of the AFL, the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football Netball League is setting the pace.
Ball, now 26, has played up through the junior ranks at Yarra Glen and has proved his ability on and off the field.
He’s spoken openly about his own experiences and feelings after accepting he was gay, and of the support of his team-mates and the Yarra Glen Football Club, and the change in the club culture as positive recognition that homophobia has no place in the sport.
Coaches of both teams spoke out last week in support of the Pride Cup as a commitment to the stand that there is no place for homophobia in their clubs or in the sport.
“Our team has always been united in supporting Jason and in making our club open to all,” Yarra Glen coach Dean de Munk said.
“The Pride Cup shows that in our sport it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, what matters is your courage and sacrifice for one another on the field.”
Eagles coach Simon Caldwell said the clubs were united in the cause off the field, but warned there would be no concessions on the field.
“Our teams are traditional rivals and we are going to be giving it our all for the Pride Cup match,” he said.
For Ball, it’s never been any other way. The Thunder will be aiming to ensure that the inaugural Pride Cup has pride of place in the Yarra Glen clubrooms.
That said, there’s a deeper goal to the game in the face of alarming mental health and suicide statistics associated with LGBTI Australians and Ball says the Pride Cup is a step in the right direction.
“The support that has been received for the Pride Cup from both teams, the AFL, the league and the local community has completely blown me away,” he said.
“To me, it shows that communities in rural and regional Australia can rally together and show support for gay and lesbian people in their communities and my hope is that events like these can be replicated across the country.”
Yarra Ranges Council is hosting the inaugural Pride Cup and mayor Fiona McAllister said it was a tremendous initiative to help promote inclusion in the sporting community.
“We also congratulate Jason for his bravery in standing up to homophobia in our society, and raising awareness about the impact it has on human rights and mental health,” she said.
YVMDFNL CEO Stephen Walter also spoke out saying the Pride Cup was another move towards making sport a safe and welcoming environment for all and an initiative the League was fully supportive of.
The Yarra Glen oval will be painted with rainbows at the 50 metre lines for the game.
The senior football and A-Grade netball teams will start their Pride Cup matches at 2.10pm and 1.15pm respectively.
