Just over 2,000 kilometres north of Perth, organised chaos is unfolding on Broome’s main playing field.

It is early Saturday morning and hundreds of excited children have taken to Nipper Roe Oval for the week’s Auskick games.

In a football-mad town that has produced players the calibre of Bailey Banfield (Fremantle) and Joel Hamling (Sydney), the park’s games represent an introduction to the sport.

But for the past month, another group of footy lovers have started to share the turf — the enthusiastic, energetic and excited children who make up the town’s very first Starkick clinic.

Starkick is an all abilities football program for 5–17 year olds who, “by circumstance or choice, may be unable or unwilling to participate in a mainstream sporting team”.

Broome Senior High School student Landen Stubbs is one of 10 participants who eagerly looked forward to the weekend clinics.

Landen used to play football as a junior but put his game on pause when it became more complex.

While Landen’s favourite team changed week to week, he said his favourite part of the game was “kicking goals”.

The Broome clinic represented the program’s first foray into Western Australia’s far north.

Broome Starkick and Auskick coordinator Adam Goedecke said the modified football program ensured a safe and inclusive environment.

“It is an amazing opportunity for these kids to get involved in something that they probably, in the past, haven’t felt comfortable getting involved with,” he said.

“They’re playing on the same oval as 180 other kids of similar age. It’s all about fun and laughter.”

Landen’s mother, Tracy Mathers, said it had been amazing to watch her son return to the game.

“It’s still football, so now he gets to play it in a way where he can actually join in and do it properly.”

Under the bright lights of Perth Stadium 

While Landen said he was excited to return to community sport, he never expected to play in front of more than 46,000 fans.

On Friday night, the 13-year-old represented Broome in the Hand in Hand Walk for Inclusion over the Perth Matagarup Bridge ahead of Fremantle’s match against ladder-leading Sydney.

He also played at half-time at the stadium with other participants, drawing plenty of support from the crowd.

“It was so much fun,” Landen said.