Barassi International Australian Football Youth Tournament
Encyclopedia
The Barassi Youth Tournament is an international Australian rules football
tournament for junior players who are no older than 16 years of age. In conjunction with the Australian Football International Cup
senior competition, the youth cup is an important event for the development of Aussie Rules internationally giving the opportunity for junior players to compete and share a cultural experience.
The tournament is currently held every 2-3 years in Canberra
, the national capital of Australia
.
In 2004 a tournament was held in Christchurch
, New Zealand
between 2 combined teams from Canberra and 2 New Zealand teams. This tournament was organised by the Canterbury AFL
with the sanction of the Barassi Youth Tournament. Ron Barassi
was there to encourage the players of both countries. This was the first junior international Australian rules football tournament to be played outside of Australia.
The tournament is officially endorsed by the Australian Football League as part of its International Policy.
a player who had a fairytale football career, converting from Gaelic football
to Aussie Rules, moved from Ireland
to play with the Melbourne Football Club
and later awarded the Brownlow medal
as the fairest and best player in the elite Australian Football League.
This competition was founded by dedicated locals like Roger Ley and Peter Cates whose aim was to introduce the game to countries all over the world. They also identified the need to increase cultural awareness and break down barriers between races using sport as the conduit.
Recently, the competition was renamed to honour the football legend Ron Barassi a player with Italian
origins who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest ever Aussie Rules identities as both player and coach. Ron Barassi is now also the patron of the organisation.
Subsequent tournaments have been held in 2001, 2003. As well as Australian amateur teams from the Australian Capital Territory
, Western Australia
and the Northern Territory
other countries (depending on availability) including New Zealand, South Africa
, Samoa
, Denmark
, New Zealand, USA and Nauru
have participated.
The 2006 tournament featured teams from South Africa and New Zealand, as well as an all-indigenous teams from the Kimberleys and Kormilda College, NT and local team from the Australian Capital Territory represented. Papua New Guinea did not participate.
The 2008 tournament was cancelled after only two international sides committed to participating and a 2009 tournament was flagged instead.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
tournament for junior players who are no older than 16 years of age. In conjunction with the Australian Football International Cup
Australian Football International Cup
The Australian Football International Cup is an international sport competition in Australian rules football...
senior competition, the youth cup is an important event for the development of Aussie Rules internationally giving the opportunity for junior players to compete and share a cultural experience.
The tournament is currently held every 2-3 years in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, the national capital of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
In 2004 a tournament was held in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
between 2 combined teams from Canberra and 2 New Zealand teams. This tournament was organised by the Canterbury AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
with the sanction of the Barassi Youth Tournament. Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
was there to encourage the players of both countries. This was the first junior international Australian rules football tournament to be played outside of Australia.
The tournament is officially endorsed by the Australian Football League as part of its International Policy.
History
The tournament began in 1998 as the Jim Stynes Cup international tournament, named after Jim StynesJim Stynes
James "Jim" Stynes OAM is an Irish former professional Australian rules footballer who is currently a businessman, philanthropist, writer, youth worker, qualified teacher and chairman of Melbourne Football Club since 2008....
a player who had a fairytale football career, converting from Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
to Aussie Rules, moved from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to play with the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
and later awarded the Brownlow medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
as the fairest and best player in the elite Australian Football League.
This competition was founded by dedicated locals like Roger Ley and Peter Cates whose aim was to introduce the game to countries all over the world. They also identified the need to increase cultural awareness and break down barriers between races using sport as the conduit.
Recently, the competition was renamed to honour the football legend Ron Barassi a player with Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
origins who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest ever Aussie Rules identities as both player and coach. Ron Barassi is now also the patron of the organisation.
Subsequent tournaments have been held in 2001, 2003. As well as Australian amateur teams from the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
other countries (depending on availability) including New Zealand, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, New Zealand, USA and Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
have participated.
The 2006 tournament featured teams from South Africa and New Zealand, as well as an all-indigenous teams from the Kimberleys and Kormilda College, NT and local team from the Australian Capital Territory represented. Papua New Guinea did not participate.
The 2008 tournament was cancelled after only two international sides committed to participating and a 2009 tournament was flagged instead.