Hockey Program Helps 140 Refugees Find Home in Toowoomba

When Amir Abdalla fled ISIS at age nine, spending seven days in the mountains without food or water, he never imagined he'd one day be teaching Australian kids to play hockey on weekends.

The 21-year-old goalkeeper is one of 140 refugees who've found community through Belong in Hockey, a program run by volunteers at Toowoomba Hockey Club in Queensland. Every Friday morning, refugees learn the sport, share morning tea, and build the skills they need to thrive in Australia.

Toowoomba, a city of 180,000 people west of Brisbane, hosts Australia's largest Yazidi refugee community. The Yazidi people, a persecuted religious minority from Iraq and surrounding regions, faced genocide by ISIS in 2014.

Program founder Jessie McCartney saw sport as the perfect bridge. "We had a vision that sport can be the thing that helps these people get a sense of belonging in the community and improve their confidence and their language," he said.

Since arriving in Australia in November 2022, Abdalla has completed the program, secured an air-conditioning apprenticeship, bought a house, and become what McCartney calls "an advocate for hockey in the Yazidi community." He now volunteers teaching children on weekends.

Nineteen-year-old Chinar Ali joined the program three months ago after arriving from Iraq in 2024. "It's very hard when you come to a different country and you don't know anything about it," she said. The program helped her make friends and navigate her new home.

The Ripple Effect

The benefits flow both ways. Volunteer Erin Gilbar brought her parents into the program after falling in love with it herself. She watches shy newcomers transform into leaders over just a few months.

Gilbar had her own struggles with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which forced her to stop playing hockey and left her isolated. Volunteering helped her regain strength and return to the sport she loves. "Being able to come out here just gave me that social connection," she said. "It gave me hockey back."

The program's success caught attention beyond Toowoomba. Hockey Australia recognized the initiative, and the Queensland government recently granted $95,000 to continue the work.

McCartney plans to expand the model to serve First Nations groups, people with disabilities, and veterans. "Welcoming these people who have these amazingly diverse stories and histories and cultures helps make your sport a more enjoyable place for everyone," he said.

For Abdalla, who lost family members to genocide and lived in refugee camps for years, hockey represents something profound: a fresh start built on genuine connection.