JMF provides Sydney Scholarships to support aspiring and talented young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander football players to attend some of Australia’s top schools and undertake intensive football training in Sydney.

We work in partnership with schools, like SCEGGS Darlinghurst, Westfields Sport High School and St. Catherine’s School, as well as NPL football clubs to provide these talented children with an opportunity to pursue both a great education and advanced football development.

Originally from Borroloola, NT, inaugural scholarship holder, Shadeene (Shay) Evans, was scouted by former Matildas coach Alen Stajcic at the age of 13. In 2019 she debuted with Sydney FC and was selected as a Young Matilda and named vice-captain. In 2020 Shay was named Football Australia Role Model of the Year and won a full academic scholarship to study social work at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. Shay has played for the Central Coast Mariners since 2023, and was part of the premiership-winning team in 2025.