Getting into professional football shouldn't be as tough as it is for some Indigenous athletes, and Football Federation Australia (FFA) admits it hasn't done enough to help them, particularly those living in remote areas.
For Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman Jada Whyman, it took her whole family to help make her career as a goalkeeper happen.
Jada, her mother, stepfather and three siblings up and left their home in Wagga Wagga, NSW, to live with a relative in Canberra so she could attend a goalkeeping academy there when she was 13.
It worked for a while, but the overcrowded situation eventually led to the family living in a tent for more than two months.
"It was a hard time," the 21-year-old told SBS News.
"The best thing was that my family never backed down in those moments. We made it out to be that we were camping for a little while and it was great because we went fishing and it took our minds off it," she said.
Jada Whyman makes a save for the Western Sydney Wanderers. Source: Getty Images AsiaPac
"If I look back now, I'd say that I connected with the land a lot more, even in that time. I wouldn't take it back for the world because it made me stronger."
Her struggles though, have resonated with FFA.
Former Matilda Sarah Walsh is FFA's head of game development and said more needs to be done to support Indigenous players.
"Jada Whyman is one of those players who I absolutely love to watch - and obviously Kyah Simon and Lydia Williams, the list goes on - but we really believe there should be more Indigenous players that are reaching the top," she said.
The challenging chapter in Canberra didn't prevent Jada's career flourishing though. She has just joined Sydney FC for the upcoming W-League season which begins in late December and she's still hopeful of getting into the Matildas team for next year's Tokyo Olympics.
Beyond that is the lure of a Matildas spot when the Women's World Cup is held in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
Recently, Jada has been dealing with a long-term knee injury for which she had an operation this year to fix. She spent some of her time away from training back in Wagga Wagga, re-connecting with family and friends.
"Football is a big, big part of me, but it's not that all that's part of me," she said. And that's no understatement.
Jada has also been working as an ambassador for John Moriarty Football, an organisation dedicated to helping young Indigenous players achieve success in the sport, in partnership with the FFA.
As well as it being NAIDOC Week, John Moriarty Football is also marking Indigenous Football Week, with this year's theme being the “pathways” the foundation is creating.
"These kids are taking steps in the right direction for themselves to develop as people and as footballers and they're only like 12 years old," Jada said.
Additionally, Jada is a volunteer youth worker for Glebe Youth Service, an outreach counsellor supporting young Indigenous people in remote Australia for mental health non-profit Headspace, and studying for a qualification in youth work.
She says the efforts she makes outside of football are worth it.
"It fills my day and my heart a little bit more each time I do it," she said.
"Hopefully kids can see things like this and feel inspired to do more towards their lives as well."
National NAIDOC Week (8–15 November 2020) celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Join SBS and NITV for a full slate of NAIDOC Week content. For more information about NAIDOC Week or this year’s theme, head to the official NAIDOC Week website.
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