News
Jolson Houli Interfaith Match
On Sunday 28 November at Punt Rd Oval a number of our younger players participated in this event which was last held in 2019 at the MCG.
Two teams represented AJAX - a Junior Team (12-14 years) and a Seniors Team (15-18 years). The older team were coached by Ant LeBransky in what was his last coaching game after his many years association with the AJAX Football Club.
Eleven AJAX players were selected to represent a combined Houli-Jolson team to play as a curtain raiser at the MCG v's a similar aged Indigenous team in 2022.
Well done to Jack Chrapot and the team organising this great event.
2021 Best & Fairest Awards
Jeffrey Jankie President's Trophy |
Alida Lipton | |
---|---|---|
Mark Feldy Best Club Person Award | Peter Berkowitz | Corey Zielinski |
Josh Ferenbach Volunteer Award | Jeff Israel | |
Peter Rockman Extraordinary Service & Dedication | Craig Joel | |
Sunday Thirds Coach's Award | David Ellinghaus | |
Sunday Thirds 3rd Best & Fairest | David Ellinghaus | |
Sunday Thirds 2nd Best & Fairest | Eli Adelist | |
Sunday Thirds Best & Fairest | Josh Jones | |
Women's Most Courageous & Determined |
Julia Caplan |
|
Women's Best First Year player | Kate Taylor | |
Women's Coach's Award | Shannan Osrin | |
Women's 3rd Best & Fairest | Julia Caplan | |
Women's 2nd Best & Fairest | Lindi Nankin | Jessica Shustin (nee Israel) |
Women's Best & Fairest | Annelise Caplan | |
Development 2, 3rd Best & Fairest | Sam Rosen | |
Development 2, 2nd Best & Fairest | Kai Gold | |
Development 2 Best & Fairest | Noah Micmacher | |
Development 2 Coach's Award | Joshua Peker | |
Development 1, 3rd Best & Fairest | Aaron Bryer | Sam Jacobs |
Development 1, 2nd Best & Fairest | Matthew Lincoln | |
Development 1 Best & Fairest | Brandon Efron | |
Development 1 Coach's Award | Corey Schwartz | |
Richard Pratt & AJN Trophy for Supporters Best | Richie Simon | |
Milestone 50 Games | Daniella Abraham | Julia Caplan |
Justine Gabriel | Jess Marget | |
Hayley Mrocki | Maddy Smart | |
Milestone 100 Games | Dov Paltiel | Zev Aron |
Daniel Cohen | Daniel Janover-Rocha | |
Milestone 150 Games | Jordan Tonkin | Ryan White |
Seniors Best First Year Player | Noah Webb | |
Lionel Rosenberg Senior Coach's Award | Nicholas Cohen | |
Daryl Cohen Seniors Most Courageous Player | Toby Sheezel | |
Seniors Most Improved Player | Elliot Debinski | |
David Merkel Most Consistent & Determined Player |
Nick Lewis |
|
Seniors 3rd Best & Fairest | Elliot Debinski | |
Seniors 2nd Best & Fairest | Toby Sheezel | |
Michael Ritterman Seniors Best & Fairest | Richie Simon |
Beaumaris FC receive Medal of Courage Award for stance against racism
VAFA
Beaumaris FC has been recognised for its stance against antisemitism and bigotry with an Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) ‘Medal of Courage’ Award.
Following the unlawful and abhorrent racial attack on the AJAX FC clubrooms in July, Beaumaris President Terry Lucas made a public stance via the Sharks’ website and social media channels, denouncing the act of vandalism and throwing his club’s support behind their Premier B Men’s and Junior football counterparts.
“The post was shared by parliamentarians, community leaders, sponsors, players and parents,” the club wrote in a statement last night.
“Importantly it came to the attention of Jewish families with children playing footy for AJAX. For them this was an important moment of ‘extending hands’ beyond prejudice and intolerance.”
The post was subsequently shared with the ADC, who considered the stance worthy of the Medal of Courage.
“The Beaumaris Football Club stepped up when it mattered and showed that they were much more than an incredible sporting organisation,” Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, said.
“In using their moral voice to confront this ugly expression of hatred head on, they proved that they are inspirational champions for empowering youth to stand up against antisemitism and bigotry.
“Their courageous stance reminded us that grassroots groups possess the power to not only break down religious and ethnic barriers, but to promote equality and mutual respect from the playing field to the classroom.”
Responding to the award via the club’s statement, Lucas said he was “humbled and proud to receive such an honour on behalf of the Beaumaris Football Club”.
“Prejudice and racism have no place in society, let alone sport. Our club stands firm in upholding high moral values and the promotion of equality, unity and respect.”
You can read the original post below:
“A few days ago the clubrooms of the AJAX Football Club were defaced with vile and insidious racial slogans.
It was an act of vandalism that was both reprehensible and distressing. We will not show you those images.
The Beaumaris Football Club stands firm with the AJAX Football Club in the condemnation of this vulgar act.
Earlier in the season our Seniors and Reserves Men’s teams joined the AJAX players and supporters in Yom Ha Shoah or the Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration prior to the Seniors game at Albert Park. It’s an important day on the Jewish calendar. For our players, it was a special moment.
Both clubs are tremendous competitors on the field, be it Seniors or Juniors, but off it there is a strong underlying respect.
This vile act has no place in the broader community let alone on the walls of a football club.
The Beaumaris Football Club fully support the AJAX Football Club in denouncing this act and will always promote the values of diversity and inclusion.
Go Sharks & Go Jackas”
Photo: Beaumaris FC
2011 Premiership Team Reunion Dinner
This event has been postponed to a date during the 2022 season.
Club President - Ronnie Lewis
AJN 9 July 2021
1 July 2021
25 June 2021
28 May 2021
All Abilities
Maccabi Victoria All Abilities program facilitated by Jeff Israel assisted by Leetai Jaedon Anidam together with AJAX Senior FC have been conducting a series of weekly training sessions alongside the Senior Men's and Women's sessions. These have given all our players such memorable experiences thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. They joined the traditional Thursday night post training dinner on 20 May, with much laughter, a Happy Birthday to Matty (29!) celebrations continued with President Ronnie Lewis presenting all involved with a Medal.
As a community club we are so proud to be able to share our love of AFL with our All Abilities members.
Australian Jewish News
21 May 2021
All Abilities
AJAX was fortunate to host a group of All Abilities enthusiasts at training on Thursday 29 April. The youngsters were showing great skills and their excitement was infectious. Assisted by Senior Men's players and spearheaded by Jeff Israel (pic 6 from Left).
Mother's Day - Breast Cancer National Awareness Round, Mother's Day Weekend 7-9 May
We were honoured to hear from Lee Zielinski (mother of Senior player Corey) to speak about her experience battling and surviving Breast Cancer. We are extremly grateful to Lee and Corey for sharing their honest and emotional story with the Club.
"Every year in Australia more than 20,000 Australians are diagnosed with breast cancer.
That’s 55 people every day that hear those life changing words, ‘you have breast cancer’ and these diagnoses have a ripple effect that flows through family, friends, sporting clubs and communities.
Your participation and support this weekend shows wonderful visual support for families in your clubs and community affected by breast cancer, whilst raising vital funds to help BCNA work to inform, support, connect and represent these Australians and ensure they can access the very best treatment and care appropriate to their needs." VAFA
Pictured Lee with son Corey
Jackettes Maya Burstin
AJAX notched up their first win in Division 3 with an impressive 22-point win over Power House.The full-time score line only changed by 3 points from half time, with neither team finding a way past the defensive lines to register any further major scores. Maddy Smart (2), Layla Simmons (1) and Jessica Israel (1) were the goal kickers for AJAX, whilst Power House’s single goal was courtesy of Brittany Tancred. Annelise and Julia Emily Caplan starred for AJAX, both starting the season off in strong form. Up a division from 2019, AJAX will feel like they are right at home in Division 3 whilst Power House will look to bounce back strongly next week and register their first win of the season.
VAFA website Round 1, 10 April 2021
Jackettes 2021 Captain & Leadership Group Named
Congratulations to all these outstanding Jackettes who were named as forming the Jackettes Leadership group. These players fully deserve the recognition of their peers.
Justine Gabriel - Captain
Jessica Marget & Isabelle Worth - Co-Vice Captains
Hayley Mrocki and Lindi Rose Nankin join the leadership group for 2021.
Go Jackettes!!
L-R Jessica Marget, Isabelle Worth, Hayley Mrocki, Linda Rose Nankin, Justine Gabriel
MACCABI VICTORIA
Second Lockdown Will Freeze Winter Sport
'It is tough for our players who have experienced the longest pre-season in history, particularly those who were due to play in their debut season, or maybe their last season'.
By SHANE DESIATNIK July 9, 2020, 9:21 am
AJAX women’s footy team co-captain Justine Gabriel during a pre-season training session last month. Photo: Peter Haskin
PLAYERS and officials in the Maccabi Victoria community are understanding of the necessity of all grassroots sport coming to a grinding halt again for at least another six weeks due to the reintroduction of stage 3 COVID-19 lockdown restrictions across Melbourne from July 8.
But they’re certainly feeling the pain of their hopes of playing winter sport being dashed for a second time.
It all happened so quickly.
Up until midday on Tuesday, the only confirmed blow was the Victorian Amateur Football Association’s (VAFA) decision on July 2 to cancel all its senior footy competitions, effectively cancelling the 2020 footy season for AJAX’s men’s and women’s teams before it even started.
The club’s president Ronnie Lewis told The AJN on Monday it was a real shame, given the teams had trained hard for a shortened season that was pencilled in to start in the last week of July.
“To be honest, the VAFA’s decision was disappointing, but it was no surprise – and it was based on the health and safety implications for all involved in community footy,” Lewis said.
“It is tough for our players who have experienced the longest pre-season in history, particularly those who were due to play in their debut season, or maybe their last season.
“But our committee will meet soon to see what ways we can still keep our members engaged for the rest of this year.”
AJAX women’s team co-captain Justine Gabriel described the season’s cancellation as “very frustrating and disappointing, but understandable because it is in the interests of the wider community”.
“We trained hard and also gained a lot of young recruits, so hopefully they will stick with us,” Gabriel said.
“We’ll really miss the social side of things and just training and playing together – footy is such a good outlet for staying connected.”
By early Tuesday afternoon, all rescheduled senior and junior sport winter season start dates had to be rubbed out, and those competitions are now either effectively cancelled or on life support.
Youngsters at AJAX Junior Footy Club and Maccabi FC Caulfield had played practice matches less than a fortnight ago, and cruelly, were supposed to finally begin their seasons this weekend, and their colleagues at Maccabi Hockey Club the weekend after.
Australian Jewish News Article
WOMEN'S FOOTY
Jackettes Jump Back Into Training
The Jackettes – the 2019 VAFA Division 4 grand final runners-up – have returned to training and are embracing being promoted up a division.
By AJN STAFF June 11, 2020,
IT was freezing at floodlit Albert Park on June 3, but that didn’t bother AJAX’s women’s footy team.
The Jackettes – the 2019 VAFA Division 4 grand final runners-up – were just happy to be passing and kicking the Sherrin around together at their first group training session since the COVID-19 lockdown began.
Coach Joe Nankin said, “There was loads of enthusiasm … We’d made plans about how we’d attack this season – should it go ahead – but it was impossible to work on while we were training solo or in twos, so it’s incredible to be back out there.”
The team still don’t know when the 2020 season will start, but they are embracing being promoted up a division.
“That will be a challenge, but it will be interesting to see how we go at that level. We’re looking forward to it,” Nankin said.
Australian Jewish News Article
https://ajn.timesofisrael.com/jackettes-jump-back-into-training/
Return to Training
Based on the recent AFL Victoria & VAFA announcements endorsing a return to training, the Club is pleased to announce that we will be returning to training on Monday 1 June 2020.
While this is a positive step for the Club & our players, the training return will be based on strict modified rules and protocols that we are required to follow.
Our players will be limited to train in groups of 10 and will be non-contact training.
While the VAFA have have not made any decisions on a date for return to play, we are looking forward to further news in that regards within the coming few weeks. Until then, we are busy preparing our players to play and we will return to Albert Park week beginning Monday 1 June 2020.
There is no doubt that after the longes pre-season on record, we are all looking forward to the next phase of the 2020 season.
Go Jackas !
Ronnie Lewis,
President
Australian Jewish News article 1 May 2020
Jolson Houli Unity Cup
The Sunday after the AFL Grand Final in 2019, a group of young football players aged from 15-20 representing their communities, came together for the love of footy and respect and participated in a football match to assist promoting harmony and cohesiveness in their communities. Spearheaded by Jack Chrapot on behalf of the Henry Jolson Foundation and Bachar Houli for the Bachar Houli Academy - some 40 plus young players played on the hallowed turf at the MCG. A Muslim team and a Jewish team conducted themselves with respect, competitiveness throughout the match, embracing each other at the end of the friendly display game. It was a highlight for all players, spectators and attendees and a very special event. Our young Jewish players did us all proud. Thanks to Ronnie Lewis and the AJAX Senior Committee and Bashar Houli Academy representatives, as well as Tiffany Cherry and Robert Dieperdemenico.