Award-nominated soccer administrator Tanya Amazzini to support Australian Indigenousroos women’s national team

One of the Mid West’s top soccer administrators hopes to learn from some of the best in the Australian game, including a former Socceroos coach, when she travels to support the national Indigenous women’s side in March.

Football West Mid West development officer Tanya Amazzini said being selected as team support for the Australian Indigenousroos at the Sunshine Coast Indigenous Football Festival in Queensland was landmark.

“It’s a big honour,” Amazzini said.

“If Jambinu (the State squad) had been able to travel, the girls in our squad might have had a chance of getting into it.

“But (this year) it’s about building relationships and bringing back experience for next time.

“The whole soccer community are committed to supporting the Indigenous game.”

She said the hope was for Jambinu players to ultimately end up playing for the Indigenousroos.

Although the Geraldton-based WA Jambinu State Indigenous team’s trip to play national team qualifiers in November was cancelled because of border closures , arrangements such as flights and accommodation were valid for the next qualifying tournament later this year, she said.

Amazzini’s selection means she will be performing her duties alongside top soccer officials like former Socceroos player and coach Frank Farina.

She was nominated for administrator of the year at the Geraldton Guardian Mid West Sports Awards in November.

The Indigenousroos and the men’s team, the Australian Indigenous Koalas, will play against The Sunshine Coast Allstars representative teams on March 5 as part of the new four-day Sunshine Coast Indigenous Football Festival at Maroochydore Football Club at Kuluin.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said the tournament would create history.

“With the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and now the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 firmly placed on the calendar, the Sunshine Coast is keen to host major events such as the Sunshine Coast Festival of Indigenous Football,” Mr Jamieson said.

Jambinu, named after a Wajarri word for the Geraldton region, has included players from the Goldfields, Perth, Bunbury and Albany but is based in the Mid West and most of the players come from the local region.

The Geraldton area is also referred to as Jambinbirri in Wilunyu, according to the Bundiyarra language centre.