Kiwirrkurra,Irrungadji

take the flagsThe playing schedule of the footballcomponent of the Punmu competitionwas made demanding by the heat.

The matches played any time after 1pmcouldn't go ahead without a few laps ofthe oval with the emergency fire unitspraying water over the field to cool itdown. A great job was done by PunmuCommunity and CDEP participants inmaking that happen.Reigning premiers, the Punmu Bulldogs,were considered only an outside chanceof making the finals at the start of thecarnival. They sat in 4th position on the ladder, butthey made up ground, winning game aftergame to work themselves into both thecarnival and premiership finals. Warralong, having enjoyed great form allyear, were nudged from contention in thelatter stages of the competition. This left Punmu with Irrungadji Dockersand Kiwirrkurra Lions as their opponentsin the 2011 Round 3 and Western DesertLeague Season finals respectively. The premiership match was a draininggame of 80 minutes. Scores were within akick for most of the second half, asIrrungadji and Punmu kicked goal forgoal. At the final siren, it took the Irrungadjiteam a few moments to realise they hadjust taken the 2011 Cup by the smallest ofmargins.The Round 3 final was played with asimilar gruelling intensity. The score-linemimicked the previous game as twoteams did battle one last time for the year.It was an emotionally charged affair thatended with the Lions having 7 pointsmore in the tank than the exhaustedBulldogs. Congratulations to all the winning teamsduring the season and to the premiershipwinners. All the best to all communities inpreparing your teams for 2012…!

MMMMAAAARRRRTTTTUUUUSSSSPPPPOOOORRRRTTTTSSSS RRRREEEEPPPPOOOORRRRTTTT

#4NOVEMBER

2011

WESTERN DESERT SPORTS COUNCILContacts: Office 9158 6474 Mike Plumb 0419 557 195 Steve Anthony 0427 838 838

To play sport in 400C-plus

temperatures, a burning passion (nopun intended) to compete mustexist.

There is no question such passionwas in ample supply in the third andfinal round of the 2011 WesternDesert League, held in Punmu in thefirst week of October

Three travelling teamsmet the PunmuBulldogs at their homeground to throweverything on the linefor a chance to tasteCarnival andPremiership success.

Punmu ladies wear twin Softball crownsAfter going through two seasons undefeated (except for last year's premiership grand finalloss to Jigalong), the Punmu Lakeside girls were the team to beat in the softball.Warralong and Irrungadji looked best-poised to take the trophy from the favourites, whileJigalong could also threaten an upset.

There were some quality displays of all elements of the game. However, it was a batter'scarnival, and many high-scoring games were played out.

Full-strength Punmu and Warralong sides made it to both the carnival and premiershipfinals after Irrungadji narrowly missed out.

The finals were played on the main oval in scorching conditions. Base-plate fieldingpositions were popular as some under-foot relief was provided. The matches started offtight but Punmu's consistent power-batting and top-rate fielding led them to victory andthe honours for Round 3 and the season.

Bidyadanga VisitA trip to the coast at a time when the hot, drydesert winds are blowing is an appealingprospect.

So, when Bidyadanga Community invitedNewcrest's Indigenous Sports DevelopmentOfficers to Bidyadanga to investigate ways tosupport, share ideas and improve sport andrecreation, it didn't take long for the ISDOs tojump at the chance.

Greeted by a warm, salty breeze, the first stopon September 24 was the Bidyadanga Officeto discuss potential support for the existingsport and recreation programs.

Bidyadanga has a group of communitymembers who volunteer their time to runsporting activities each afternoon for the benefitof all children in the community.

The volunteer group also offers healthy, cookedmeals that are sold for a small price to raisemoney for their Bidyadanga Sport andRecreation Club.

After some lunch and a tour of the oval,change-room and recreation facilities, it wastime for some after-school sport. About 20children participated in a game of soccerbefore a football match that involved 25+ kids,both boys and girls!

The main event for the afternoon was a footballscratch-matchbetween thehigh schoolteam and theBidyadangaEmus FootballClub.

The match washeld todeterminewhich playerswould beselected to play

in the Bidyadanga team at the GarnduwaFestival. The game drew a crowd mostly madeup of women and children.

The WDSC newsletter Martu Sports Reportwas distributed to show what has beenhappening in the desert.

The following morning, the BidyadangaCommunity were presented with two sets offootball jumpers and ten footballs by Newcrestas a gesture of support.

Newcrest hopes to be able to give moresupport to Bidyadanga in the future.

Thanks, everyone, in ‘Bidgy' for your warmwelcome, particularly school principal RebeccaRobson, and Peter Yip, Graham Lands andAlec Dan for taking the time to meet up.

Fun runs riot at Punmu Carnival The Punmu Carnival saw the welcome return of Andy Brown the Clown. His usual entourage of young boys and girls (who weremostly unrecognisable to their parents as a result of face-painter Kate Lee's aesthetic efforts) were treated to magic tricks, the language song, 101 things you can do with a big pair of woolly pants, anda children-friendly version of AC/DC's “Long Way to the Top.” As always, the spectators were in hysterics as Andy's warm and comical persona radiated through the crowd.

The fantastic new facility that is the Punmu multi-sports court provided the perfect arena for people to see visiting acts the “Chooky Dancers” and the Tjupi Band. Generously arranged by the Martu TrustSchool Holiday Program and Kiwirrkurra Community respectively, they performed charismatically to the delight of the 400-strong crowd. If you weren't there, try to get some of their recorded material.

DevelopmentPathways

Five Martu youth were identified for theirtalent by the V Swans staff, and given theopportunity to play in the North WestU/16s Championships held in PortHedland directly after the Punmu Carnival.

Braeden Wilberforce and Gethan Biljabujoined Kiwirrkurra trio Lazerus Lilius, TrinolJames and Thomas Nolen in acombined Pilbara football side thatcompeted over two days against teamsfrom the Gascoyne, Kimberley, Murchisonand Ashburton.

The Western Desert Sports Council willdiscuss with V Swans theappropriateness of more regularcompetitions such as this.

These regional championships give Martuyouth the opportunity to play football at ahigher standard than community footballwithout having to make the dauntingjump into the WAFL competition.

This added intermediate step couldprovide the link to a clearer pathway intoelite sport.

Softball WA president TrevorSchorer, on his first visit to the WesternDesert, was “excited for the whole sixdays [of the carnival].”

He and the two high-performanceWestern Flames athletes, JemmaFreegard and Tory Bolland, aredeveloping an understanding of theWestern Desert Softball League that has“hooked” their intentions towards the bestpossible future development of softball inthe region.

The WDSC and Softball WA are workingtowards sending a group of Martuwomen to Perth to participate in theNational Softball competition in Januarynext year.

Swimming ExcursionOn a hot Thursday late in October, 25 students from Punmu’s RAWA School and Well 33 visited Telferfor a swimming visit, one of a number of such visits that have been held scheduled for the warmmonths in 2011 and 2012.

Indigenous Sports Development Officers Steve Anthony and Mike Plumb organise several fun andlearning activities for the students including freestyle skills, entry skills such as diving, and retrievingobjects from the pool floor.

Fun games also include water polo, dodge ball and swimming races.

On this particular swim visit, two Practicum Sports Science students from UWA helped in deliveringswimming lessons and a variety of games. The students were on a week’s practical period, wherethey visit different Western Desert communities with Mike Plumb and Steve Anthony to deliveractivities and games in basketball, football and Uni Hoc.

Between all the fun in the pool, the kids,teachers and the teacher assistantsenjoyed a healthy lunch of fruit and saladsandwiches followed by a treat of icecream.

The day was another success, and part of a long-term program toincrease water safety and awareness, increase physical activity, anddevelop good swimming technique with the aim of eventuallyconducting a mini-swimming carnival against other communities.

Should any other schools wish to participate in a similar venture,please contact Mike or Steve. They would be pleased to welcomeyou all to Telfer.