GAWLER Districts AFL Masters Club secretary Mark Schuster has been nominated for the Woolworths Sports in Community Award as part of South Australia’s Community Achievement Awards for 2019.

The awards celebrate and encourage involvement in sports and recognise grassroots groups/organisations, clubs, initiatives and programs that are making an impact in their local community.

The club, known as the Gawler Bunyips, has advocated strongly against domestic violence by hosting a White Ribbon round annually for the past four years, in which Mr Schuster has been heavily involved in organising.

“It’s not all about football,” he said.

“As a club, we decided we wanted to do our bit within the community and other teams to know we don’t stand for any violence against women.”

Mr Schuster said the award nomination is great exposure for the club, which caters for veteran footballers who still want to play the game.

“The club provides members aged 35-70 years with an opportunity to stay physically and mentally fit by continuing to play football at a suitable pace,” he said.

“At the club we have a strong focus on health and wellbeing.

“It is a wonderful vehicle for fellas who still want to enjoy AFL without serious injury.”

The Gawler Bunyips’ fourth annual White Ribbon round will be played at Elizabeth’s Argana Park on August 25 and will feature 150 players from six different AFL Masters teams from across Adelaide.

It is set to raise $500 in donations to support a local domestic violence service.

Mr Schuster said the initiative started in 2016 following the Hillier triple murder, where a young mum and her two children were killed as a result of domestic violence.

“The players at the club came together and thought about the White Ribbon movement, and that it is the responsibility of senior men to take a stand,” he said.

“We wanted the AFL Masters football community to know that we acknowledge and accept our responsibility to speak out against the violence that kills nearly two women in Australia per week.

“Our ultimate goal is to get whole league teams involved throughout metro and regional Adelaide.”

Nominations for the South Australian Community Achievement Awards close on Wednesday, July 24.

For more information, call the Awards Office on (08) 8132 0753 or email sacaa@awardsaustralia.com.