A Caroline Springs resident has taken home an AFL Victoria award recognising her dedication and support for diversity in community football.
Announced as the 2025 AFL Victoria Diversity Ambassador of the Year in this year’s Community Football Awards on Friday 10 October, Akima Manoah said she was “very shocked” when she heard about her award.
“I didn’t really expect to win because there were so many other nominees … I was really happy [and] proud about my efforts,” Manoah said.
She said receiving the award was a good way to finish the season.
Manoah said that she tries to share her own experiences with those starting out in the sport and what footy means for her.
She was nominated for her involvement in the local team, where she trains with and coaches junior players, and for her work with non-profit organisation The Huddle – which aims to improve education and employment outcomes for young people through the power of sport.
“The whole point of [The Huddle] is just to support the community … it was just nice to be able to go deeper in the west,” Manoah said.
“To my community, the South Sudanese community, I want everyone to just know that you can do it. It can take some time, you might not get recognised … [but] one day you will get recognised for all the work that you do – so just keep trying.”
