“I am pretty sure if you asked any other Sudanese person, or anyone from a background like mine they will tell you that our parents, our mothers, are our superheroes.” Ajang Ajang said with the emotion in his voice as strong as ever. “I can’t put into words how hard it must have been for them to leave their life behind and try and find a new one for us kids. Theirs is a huge sacrifice. They had no childhood; they were in a war, or escaping a war since they were little kids. My goal in life is to try and make everything better for her, that is what I strive for.”

Ajang, or “AJ” as he is affectionately known was born in Kakuma Refugee camp in Kenya. His parents had been there for almost ten years, having arrived soon after the Sudanese civil war broke out.

“All I can remember from back then is basically being a normal kid.” Ajang explained. “I wasn’t exposed to the really bad things because I was a kid. I wasn’t really worried about things, I was just worried about having fun and so I wasn’t thinking of the other issues because I wasn’t aware of them.”

In 2006 his world would change dramatically. He would suddenly experience a range of emotions that had passed him by, as he and his family were headed to Australia.

“We came to Perth on the 25^th of August 2006.” The date is clearly etched in his memory forever. “On the way here I had no preconceived ideas of what it was like. I just know that I was quite scared coming to a new environment, not having anyone here to sort of look after us. It was basically just my mother and my siblings. We were all quite young at the time; I had just turned seven or eight. I had no idea what it was going to be like, so I was quite scared.”

When the family arrived in Western Australia, they like many migrants faced an immediate obstacle, one of communication. “I had no English in my system, I had never attempted to speak it before until I moved here. As soon as I got here I was taken to Highgate Primary School, right next to the city, and I was in the Intensive English Learning Centre for a year or so. I picked up English pretty well and then I could join the mainstream classes after that.” He remembered.

Despite having mastered English Ajang was still finding it hard to settle in his new home.

“Initially for me I wasn’t really into sports, so I was just stuck in this little world where I tried to learn the language first of all, and then just find my place. I was quite worried that I wasn’t going to be able to find my place in this brand new world, and my siblings as well. I was the second oldest so I was always looking after my siblings as my mother would be busy doing other things such as working. We were all trying to learn English, so she was going to school as well. It wasn’t until later on when I was about 13 or 14 that I got into sports and I haven’t stopped since. I would say when I got involved in sports that was when I found a spot, or a place where I would say I was comfortable. I thank God that I was blessed with some athletic ability, and that helped solidify my spot in the sports world.”

Sudan has a rich history when it comes to football. They were one of the founding member nations of the Confederation of African Football and were one of the three teams to participate in the inaugural Africa Cup of Nations in 1957.  Yet football was not the sport where Ajang would find his place.

“Coming from a Sudanese background our first sport, the one that we are introduced to is soccer, or football as it is known around the world. So when I was younger I was into soccer a lot more than any other sports. I played basketball as well, and I was alright at that, but it wasn’t until I was introduced by a few mates at school to football, (Australian Rules) that was when I found something that I really liked. It was also a place where I could go and hang out with my friends. Initially I wasn’t doing it for the love of it, I was doing it to hang out with my friends. They were playing soccer, basketball and after school they would go to training and the next day at school they would tell me how the training was. I was interested in being a part of that conversation so one day I went with them, and the rest is history.”

Many top athletes have said that their sport chose them, and not that they chose the sport. Ajang agreed. “That has some truth to it as honestly sometimes you don’t know what you are good at until you try it, or you come across it and find it. I feel that was how it was with football, because I could easily have played soccer or basketball, but football somehow got me in the end.”

He started playing at Ellenbrook Junior Football Club in 2012 and immediately felt at home.  

“It was the brotherhood around it. You’d go to training and all your friends are there, and even if you don’t really know anyone there they will try and make you feel included. The coaches are very good at bringing everyone together to commit to one goal, and that makes everyone brothers. It was a togetherness that I hadn’t felt before.”

That feeling of belonging brought out the best in Ajang. He could relax and concentrate on playing and enjoying his football. In no time his talent was spotted and he was selected for the State Under 18’s squad, which came as a bit of a shock to him.

“I was pretty surprised because my journey from where I started in football was very different. Around 2012 I went down and started playing but I only played a handful of games. I probably played less than 14 or 15 games between 2012 and 2014, because I broke my ankle the next year. So I sat out a whole year. It wasn’t until I graduated that I was like, I might as well go down and try out for the East Perth Colts. When I went down for the pre-season I found out that I was in good shape and I hadn’t really lost anything from that year out. The following year I was picked for the State Under 18’s squad.”

That selection was a turning point. It resulted in a change of attitude in Ajang as he explained. “Once I was selected I thought why not try and put everything into this and try and take it as far as possible and test myself as well. So I set some goals and along the way I chipped away at some of the goals I had, and I am quite happy with where I am right now, but there’s more work to be done.”

Ajang is very quick to acknowledge the help and guidance he has received on his journey.

“Along the way I have had Paul Magawamba who I look up to. I met Paul through the Edmund Rice ranks. He used to coach us and try and get us into community football after we had learned how to play the game. Beginning with Ellenbrook Junior football club I got into Edmund Rice through my brother Peter who also worked there at the time and the likes of Paul and Susan and everyone there helped me.” The Edmund Rice Centre WA has a proud history of assisting people from refugee and migrant backgrounds ever since it was established in 1998.

“East Perth has been great to me. Ever since I got there that colts year I had guys like Winnie (Mark Winnett), who was the player manager at the time, and the coach then Patrick Litherland. He was a well-spoken quiet guy who was the ideal coach for me. All the players around me, and Agid Gardoud who was a fellow African player that was there before me. So when I moved up to the senior ranks he was able to help me out and sort out my own pathway at the football club. They have been a great club in WAFL history, and have a great culture of togetherness and have been able to help me with my development not only as a footballer, but as a young person.”   

Like many Africans Ajang has suffered racism, and it is as he says something he still fails to understand. “There have been little incidents here and there that I experienced when I was a little bit younger,” he explained.  “I just question why the colour of someone’s skin can be such a big factor? Even before you know them how can you judge someone off their skin colour? I have never really understood the reasons behind those sorts of judgments. I am always worried that I am being judged, that I am being looked at in a different light before someone really gets to know me, just because of my skin colour. Even though it has only happened to me a few times, it doesn’t mean I don’t think about it, because I know a lot of people with the same complexion as me are going through the same thing. It shouldn’t be acceptable.”

This was one of the reasons that Ajang was keen to take up the offer of being an Ambassador for PANSA. He felt that he could share his experiences and let others know they are not alone.

“I thought I could use my platform. It’s not the biggest, but I just felt that I had some sort of platform from which I could help people who were in the same situation as myself. To try and get them into sport and make them aware that sports are a good connector in our society. It’s a good place that helps you get to know a lot of people, lets you get a network and not only helps you with your sport but helps you with your life. You learn some pretty good lessons through sport, and I feel a lot more people should experience that.” He said with conviction before continuing.

“Sports is not the number one priority for most of us in the Sudanese community. We have been brought here to try and focus on our education and stuff like that. Recently we have had a lot of success in our community with guys who have made it to the NBA ranks and the likes of Majak Daw in the AFL. Our parents sometimes don’t really understand sports, but as I said it’s a good connector. It lets you learn life lessons and things that can help you move forward with your life. It is frowned upon, but at the same time we can use it as a tool to progress our lives in the future.”

Ajang then explained his own experience with his family when he was given the opportunity to follow a career in sport; it was not something that his mother was expecting.

“She was very confused as she had no idea I was into sports, because most of the time our parents do not have the time to come down and watch us play. They have so many other things to worry about, like supporting the family back home.” He said as the smile left his face as he spoke. “I think a lot of young African people can relate to what I am saying. I think my parents have come and watched me a handful of times, I can probably count them on one hand. It’s not that they don’t want to, it’s just they have so many other things going on.”

The smile was soon back when he described the few occasions that his family have been able to watch him play, especially his mum. “They are the best. You get to show them the kind of person and player you are on the field, and can show them your talent. I think it makes them just as happy to watch me play as it makes me having them watch me play. It’s one of the best feelings in the world!”

So what advice would Ajang give a young migrant who is struggling to find their place in a new country, after all as he explained he came to sport late.

“Be yourself. Don’t try and force anything that you would not want to do in your own heart. Stay in your own world and things will come to you, and when they do come to you take them with both hands. A new experience for me was sports, and when I started playing I found a whole different world. It could be school, it could be sports, it could be anything, just make sure that when the opportunity comes you grab it with both hands and learn as much as you can.”

Should the AFL come knocking or any other opportunity come his way, Ajang Ajang or “AJ” as he likes to be known, you can be sure that he will make the most of it. Watch this space…