John Moriarty Football (JMF) has been named the National Community Sporting Organisation of the Year at the 2026 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Awards.
The national accolade recognises JMF’s trusted, community-led model that uses football to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and youth aged 2 to 18 years to thrive, stay healthy, and succeed in school.
While football promotes physical health, JMF is designed to offer much more by providing wraparound support such as teaching emotional regulation, nutrition, and health literacy. JMF creates safe spaces where young people have positive role models, learn skills and feel a sense of belonging.
By combining grassroots participation with a Scholarships program, JMF also helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players bridge the gap from local school and community ovals to the wider football ecosystem. The program creates access to local, regional and national opportunities to pursue elite football ambitions – proving that exceptional talent and leadership flourish when given the right support.
Yanyuwa man John Moriarty AM, JMF Co-Founder and the first Aboriginal footballer selected to play for Australia, expressed deep gratitude to the local communities and coaches driving the program’s success.
“When we started JMF in 2012 in my birthplace of Borroloola, our vision was to use football as a vehicle to unlock the potential of our children and give them the best start in life.”
“To be recognised nationally as Community Sporting Organisation of the Year is a testament to the power of community-led solutions, local Aboriginal leadership, and the belief that every child – no matter how remote – deserves equal opportunity to thrive,” Mr Moriarty added.
Kanolu/Gangulu woman Allira Toby, former A-Leagues star and JMF Ambassador and Scholarships Coordinator, highlighted the award reflects the strength of JMF’s place-based governance.
“JMF succeeds because it is built on deep trust, listening, and true partnerships with local communities.”
“This award belongs to our community coaches and the thousands of young players who show up every day with pride and determination. JMF creates safe, inclusive spaces where girls and boys learn respect, resilience, and leadership. It’s far more than a game – it’s changing lives across Country,” Ms Toby added.
JMF Dubbo Community Coach, Tiffany Stanley (Wiradjuri), has experienced first hand the impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander role models can have on children’s lives.
“Having a good role model can change your life, and that’s what JMF’s coaches do every day for thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who sometimes struggle to deal with the challenges surrounding them. JMF provides opportunities for our coaches to continually develop and grow their skills. Which means we have more to give back to our communities. It’s an incredible ripple effect of transformation,” said Ms Stanley.
Independent reporting by Deloitte Access Economics confirms the program’s outcomes:
- Boosting education: 72% of students report feeling more excited to attend school on JMF days, with educators reporting an average attendance increase of 1 to 2 extra days per week for previously absent students.
- Local Indigenous employment: 74% of JMF’s coaching staff are local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members who act as trusted mentors and role models.
- Championing gender equality: JMF breaks down barriers in sport with 60% female student participation and a coaching team that is 50% female.
- Nurturing health and wellbeing: JMF delivers over 26,000 fresh, nutritious meals and fruit snacks annually and 68% of students report using JMF self-regulation techniques at home.
- Closing the Gap: JMF’s integrated model demonstrably impacts 10 National Closing the Gap targets, including education retention, youth employment, life expectancy, and diversion from the criminal justice system.
Delivered by Moriarty Foundation – an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation (ACCO) – JMF reaches thousands of children and young people annually across 15 remote and regional communities in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and New South Wales.
Embedded within local public schools, after-school clinics, holiday programs, and juvenile justice facilities, at no cost to participants, JMF provides a continuous, culturally informed safe presence in communities experiencing high levels of disadvantage.
