Solomon Islands
Australian rules football was first played in the Solomon Islands in 2003 with some junior clinics held by Garry McKenzie and members of the Australian Defence Force, stationed in the country to help restore order after years of civil unrest. The first AGM of the Solomon Islands Australian Football Association was held in August 2004 at the National Sports Centre, with around 100 people attending, almost all being locals. The committee was elected and subsequently met to discuss plans for developing the code, especially for 12 to 18 year olds. By the end of 2004 there were two senior teams playing friendly matches and around 150 juniors had participated in games.
Since 2004, junior clinics have been held regularly in Honiara, and the Solomon Islands' first representative squad will compete at the AFL Oceania Under 18 Championships in December 2010.
A youth development officer will be working in cricket and Australian rules development in the islands from 2011.
Read more about this topic: Australian Rules Football In Oceania
Famous quotes containing the words solomon and/or islands:
“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our
vines have tender grapes.”
—Bible: Hebrew The Song of Solomon (l. II, 15)
“Consider the islands bearing the names of all the saints, bristling with forts like chestnut-burs, or Echinidæ, yet the police will not let a couple of Irishmen have a private sparring- match on one of them, as it is a government monopoly; all the great seaports are in a boxing attitude, and you must sail prudently between two tiers of stony knuckles before you come to feel the warmth of their breasts.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)