Congratulations to Rickesha Burdett on having her “Safe on Country” design chosen as the WACFL Belt Up NAIDOC Football for 2023.

The design a ball competition was made possible through the WACFL’s partnership with the Insurance Commission of Western Australia, promoting the Belt Up message. 

The Belt Up campaign encourages seat belt use to reduce the severity of injury in a car accident. Last year, 85 people who were not wearing a seat belt were killed or seriously injured on WA roads.

Rickesha’s artwork depicts the importance of wearing a seatbelt. The seatbelt sash is represented as the blue belt that crosses the football. The people symbols have blue dots which represent them wearing their seatbelt and arriving safely at their destinations. The circles represent communities coming together at their local football clubs.

The winning design will be used on 400 footballs provided to both men and women’s senior teams in Western Australia. The NAIDOC football is part of an extended promotion of the WACFL’s Belt Up partnership with Insurance Commission, which celebrates 25 years in 2023. The balls will be used as part of the WACFL’s celebration of NAIDOC.

Alison Wilson, General Manager Governance and Stakeholder Relations at the Insurance Commission said “Partnering with the WACFL on the Belt Up NAIDOC Ball Design Competition allows us to put the Belt Up road safety message directly in the hands of football and Indigenous communities.”

“This is important to the Insurance Commission, as not wearing a seat belt can significantly increase the severity of injuries from a crash.”

“We would like to congratulate Rikesha on her striking football design, which promotes the Belt Up message. We know these footballs will be used with pride, and will help players share the Belt Up message with their communities.”