AUSTRALIAN Rules is booming in Colombia.
Yes, you read that right.
Earlier this year, a group of 10 girls aged between 14 and 16 from the conflict zone Colombian town of Puerto Tejada came to Australia for an immersive footy experience as a part of the 'Experiences that Change Lives' partnership between the Colombian Government and Department of Foreign Affairs.
The girls spent time in both Sydney and Melbourne, attending training sessions with local football teams and visited iconic AFL stadiums.
Former Sydney captain Josh Kennedy visited Colombia and spent time training with local Aussie Rules players and young children from the 'Colombianitos' charity, helping to catalyse the plan for this trip.
The 10 girls selected for the trip are leaders in their community, advocating for gender equality and empowering women through sports.
For many of the girls, this was their first time overseas.
"It was a wonderful experience, something I never imagined I would live," Michelle Andrea Gonzalez Velasco said.
"I felt super nervous and excited. Nervous because I felt fear of the unknown and anxious about what would happen and excited because I was eager to discover a new place and gain new knowledge," Sharon Jimena Mejia Espana said.
For some of the girls, Aussie Rules was a foreign sport that they knew very little about.
"We only knew the basics: the kick, the handpass and the grip. There, we learned so much more about the technique of grip, movement and passing," Hayli Chung said.
Sharon Jimena Mejia Espana was keen to experience the physicality of the sport.
"I knew that football was a bit rough, a contact sport with not many safety measures, like knee pads or things like that," she said.
"I had looked up and knew some things, like it was played on an oval field and had an oval ball, and that it was played with hands and feet," Lina Montano added.
The girls improved their teamwork skills, fitness and communication during their time in Australia.
For Sharon Jimena Mejia Espana, she gained plenty of self-confidence and learned more about herself.
"This was my first trip, and it taught me many things and life lessons. First and foremost, self-confidence. Autonomy, because I discovered new things in myself and my capabilities. Renewal because I returned home with a new perspective and a desire to implement changes in my life," she said.
"Interacting with my teammates taught me a lot about tolerance and understanding different perspectives … we also gained empathy and understanding of a different culture."
And now the girls are focussed on creating a league in Puerto Tejada.
"Our goal is to create a league here in Puerto Tejada, to establish an Australian Rules football league so that children can focus on the sport. We practice in our free time and are organizing training sessions," Hayli Chung said.
"We are working on it, and I hope that very soon this league will be established in Colombia. We practice with our teammates and with my companions, practicing more to gain more knowledge and skills to teach others who are a part of our club," Lina Montano added.
It's a soccer-mad country, but the Sherrin is starting to make its mark in Colombia.
