John Moriarty Football program secures top award for its Aboriginal-designed and led innovation

Established in 2012 by not-for-profit organisation, Moriarty Foundation, the John Moriarty Football program that uses football (soccer) to support health and education outcomes for Indigenous children has been named the Overall Winner and Inclusion Program/Initiative of the Year at the Australian, Sport, Recreation and Play Innovation Awards.

The 2025 Australian Sport, Recreation and Play Innovation Awards were hosted by National Sports and Physical Activity Convention (NSC) and presented as part of the NSC Oration at the Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre on 25th June 2025.

John Moriarty Football (JMF) is delivered in 17 remote and regional communities to more than 5,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, aged 6 to 18 years old, each year.

Moriarty Foundation Co-Founders, Ros Moriarty and Yanyuwa man John Moriarty said they were honoured that JMF has been recognised for its Aboriginal-designed and led innovation.

As Australia's first Aboriginal Socceroo, John Moriarty knows the life-changing power of sport noting "when we started JMF in 2012, we wanted to use football to engage Indigenous boys and girls in a way that would positively impact their health, education, wellbeing and connection to Country.

"JMF's inaugural scholarship holder Shadeene Evans went from playing barefoot on Borroloola school oval to graduating from one of Australia's top sporting high schools – and now she is now playing for the premiership winning Central Coast Mariners in the A-League," he said.

"But as well as the sporting stars, our success stories lie in the increased school attendance, improved classroom participation, better health and wellbeing outcomes and inspiring the love of sport for children."

Moriarty Foundation Ambassador and former A-League footballer, Allira Toby (Kanolu/Gangulu) said the award is an acknowledgement of JMF's community-led, holistic and culturally relevant approach and added "the innovation of JMF is that it is guided by Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) made up of community members, elders and Traditional Custodians, that ensures it is tailored to local needs and culturally safe and responsive.”

JMF is delivered 5-6 days per week through in-school and after school sessions, school holiday clinics and tournaments.

The Australian, Sport, Recreation and Play Innovation Awards recognise individuals, government, not-for-profits, the commercial sector, play sector, recreation and sports for their innovations to get more people active in the community.