A design by local Whadjuk-Yuet-Ballardong Indigenous artist Kevin Bynder has been unveiled on the 2021 Belt Up NAIDOC football, with each senior male and female team within the West Australian Country Football League (WACFL) to receive one of the unique balls.

Made possible through the WACFL’s ongoing partnership with the Insurance Commission of WA and their Belt Up message, the NAIDOC football celebrates and acknowledges the enormous contribution Aboriginal and Indigenous players continue to make to our great game and the regional communities it is played in. The partnership will enable more than 300 of these uniquely designed footballs to be distributed throughout regional WA.

Mr Bynder’s designs are sought after across the sporting, arts and corporate arenas and have been displayed in Yagan Square and commissioned by Australia Post and Qantas amongst others. He recently painted a commemorative art piece celebrating the 100th year of amateur football in WA and designed the Fremantle Dockers 2021 AFL Indigenous round jumper.

In 2018 Mr Bynder designed the West Coast Eagles and Port Adelaide AFL Indigenous round jumpers.

The design for the 2021 Belt Up NAIDOC football showcases all corners of country Western Australia and the young players these towns and communities produce. Different colours and circles around the four panels of the football come together to connect as one, with each colour representative of all areas and aspects of country and regional WA. The circles depicted on the football have two meanings; the continuous community involvement and journey of young players following their dreams to become AFL, WAFL or senior players for their teams and also to illustrate each community and town they represent.

To coincide with the launch of the 2021 WACFL NAIDOC football, the League has announced a competition open to Aboriginal artists throughout Western Australia to design the 2022 NAIDOC Belt Up football.

WACFL Executive Manager of Country Football and Facilities, Tom Bottrell said “the design competition provides a wonderful opportunity for aspiring Aboriginal artists, of all ages, to showcase their talent and their culture.”

The WACFL’s partnership with the Belt Up message is now into its 23rd year and Bottrell impressed the importance of the message within regional and rural communities. “The Insurance Commission continues to support us since young men in country areas continue to be over-represented in crashes and injury insurance claims. Every year we hear of players who are injured or lose their lives on country roads and the devastation this causes to their families, mates, our clubs and the community is significant.”

Further information regarding the 2022 WACFL NAIDOC football design competition can be found here.

Image - Whadjuk-Yuet-Ballardong Indigenous artist Kevin Bynde, with the Belt Up ball and the Nutrien Ag Solutions All Star Jerseys he designed.

Image: The 2021 WACFL NAIDOC Belt Up Football Story.