Shoalhaven United's Dianna Crossley Bloxsome and Southern Branch's Lucas Evison have been again recongised for their football prowess with another prestigious selection, this time to the inaugural NAIDOC Cup squads.
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The NAIDOC Cup is for First Nations footballers aged 14 to 16 who will represent Football NSW in one male and one female match against Northen NSW Football.
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The high-level matches will be played on Awabakal land at the Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
The NAIDOC Cup coincides with NAIDOC Week from July 3 to 10 and is a celebration of First Nations communities, culture and football.
Dianna has been recognised for her strong play on the field for years, with selections to the U14 girls team for the Australian First Nations side that participated in the Clash of the Cultures tour in 2020, which saw the selected athletes travel to New Zealand.
She was selected to the mentioned side after a fantastic performance at the National Indigenous Football Championships the year previous.
"It was such a journey to go to New Zealand in 2019," Dianna said.
Dianna plays locally for the Shoalhaven United Bears, a club that is more than happy to have the services of the talented striker.
"I am so proud to play for the Shoalhaven Bears and am very grateful for everyone supporting me in this journey," she said.
The young striker said she is super excited to play for the NAIDOC squad.
"I'm very excited to play in the NAIDOC cup this year and to be selected is just such a fun and awesome opportunity," she said.
"It'll be great to represent my culture and showcase my pride in who I am."
15-Year-Old Lucas plays for Southern Branch Inc, starting his football career back in 2012 for the Shoalhaven United Bears like Dianna.
Playing on the United squad from 2012-2018.
Lucas joined Southern Branch in 2019, playing on the squad to present day, while also securing a number of prestigious accolades along the way.
- 2018 Shoalhaven District Football Association Rep Player
- 2018 NSW State Titles - NSW Country Southern
- 2019 National Youth Championships - NSW Country
- 2019 National Indigenous Football Championships Under 14 - Djuwin Walinburra
The skilled centre-back adds to his already strong resume with his selection to the mens NAIDOC side, as he looks to continue to further his success in the football world.
Football NSW's Inclusion and Diversity Coordinator Annabel Meadley said she's been really looking forward to seeing the NAIDOC Cup come to life.
"Our teams will be eagerly anticipating this Cup as this will give them an opportunity to proudly represent themselves , their culture, family and heritage on a bigger stage," she said.
"We at Football NSW cannot wait to see this Cup come to life and look forward to providing more opportunities for First Nations communities."
The event will kick off on Wednesday July 6, with the female match kicking off at 1:30 and the male match at 3pm.