By Sahar Foladi
Richmond Soccer Club kicked off their first of many games on Saturday 18 March at Fotheringham Reserve Dandenong to mark the official opening of the Hazara and all Afghans soccer club.
The newly acquired soccer club in the City of Greater Dandenong has been a milestone for the Afghan community.
Its president Haji Hashim brought the club to Greater Dandenong, home to the majority of Afghans in Melbourne, and calls the shift an important one for the community and future generations.
“We heard about this club in 2020 in January. We approached the president at that time, had been meeting for the whole year and finally we succeeded to get the club,” Mr Hashim said.
The club was officially passed down to its new community in May 2021 but was held up due to Covid.
“I felt proud and still am proud. This is for every community of Afghans, they should be proud. This is what we need. Sport is what brings the community together.
“It’s not a private company, it’s a not for profit organisation for the community.
“Step forward and support your club,” Mr Hashim asks of the community.
The need for an established soccer club was apparent during a great turn-out from the Afghan community in a series of Easter and Christmas tournaments.
The players who used to play in some of the tournaments now call Richmond SC their home. Mr Hashim describes the club as “the vision” for their future generations.
“If we started from zero it would’ve taken us 15 years to get to our level but we are only one year behind the National Premiers League (NPL).
While there have been many hitches up to now, the club has earned its home ground in Dandenong.
“We’ve got our home ground now. That’s what the community wanted to see. This is our home.”
However it will still take a few years for the club and its committee members to fully immerse themselves in club operations, having no prior experience.
With seven committee members on board, four teams and no women teams this club has a lot of hurdles and growth coming their way.
“We’re trying to increase our teams by six for next year so 10 teams altogether. We want players to play in high leagues and build junior and women teams with a vision to having a cricket club,” Mr Hashim said.
Besides this, he has his mind set on revealing the hidden talents in the Afghan community with a proposal to Greater Dandenong Council for support.
“If we have the facility we can increase the numbers. We have an old facility, but we have a proposal for an indoor soccer facility for women with a separate change room, to have volleyball, karate and boxing teams.
“We have one of the boxing champions from Pakistan Asif Hazara who can train there.”
The international boxer has earned medals from the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and South-Asian Games. A seven time national champion who also served as the captain of Pakistan’s boxing team.
The club now seeks immense support from the community in order to thrive and in return be of service to the community to showcase their best.
