ON AND off the field, Adam Saad continues to do amazing things.
After being named as an All Australian for the first time last week, Saad’s commitment away from the football field has now been recognised by being named for the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award.
Handed out on Brownlow Medal night, the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award is named after the former Melbourne great. It is awarded to the AFL or AFLW player who best demonstrates their commitment to the community, helping others and making a difference, taking into account the way the play and represent the game on the field.
It’s his involvement with the Adam Saad Pathways which has seen the program’s namesake nominated. This encompasses the Adam Saad Academy, which is a six-week, multicultural program centred around developing leadership in young role models while also focusing on football development.
Overall, the Adam Saad Pathways program includes the Boys and Girls Academies, the High-Performance Program and the Adam Saad Schools Cup.
With a passion for seeing school children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds participate in football, Saad also reflects on his identity as the only AFL player of a Muslim religion to not only give back to the community, but also educate players and staff at Carlton on his faith.
“It’s an absolute honour to be a nominee for the Jim Stynes Award and to win the Tom Hafey Award as well: I really appreciate that and the support,” Saad said.
“It’s something I love doing and something I’m passionate about. I still remember myself as a 12 or 13-year-old coming through and wishing we had programs like this.
“I don’t go out to do these things to get recognised: I do it because I’m really passionate about giving back to the community and never forgetting where you come from.
“If they come out better people and they learn one thing from our program that they can instil in their lives, it means we’re dong our job.
“If I do win it, it’s hard to explain — I’ll be so proud. I’ll keep continuing to do what I do to give back to the community and help out wherever I can.”
Saad becomes Carlton’s fourth nominee in as many years for the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award, while he’ll look to follow in the footsteps of Dennis Armfield, who won the honour while at the Blues in 2015.
The defender’s standing off the field was acknowledged 12 months ago when he won the Tom Hafey Variety Heart of Football Award.
About the Jim Stynes Foundation
The Jim Stynes Foundation (JSF) perpetuates the work of the late Jim Stynes. Like Jim, the Foundation supports disadvantaged youth through his passion for sport, his allies, and his charitable inceptions.
Public in nature, the Jim Stynes Foundation is a Public Ancillary Fund (PuAF) that distributes funds to worthy and specifically chosen registered charities. As a PuAF the public are invited to and can contribute to the Foundation. All contributions are then distributed to registered charities, as determined by the Foundation's board.
The 2022 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award selection panel is chaired by Trisha Squires (Head of AFL Queensland) and includes:
- Sam Ludbey-Stynes – Jim Stynes Foundation
- Luke Darcy – Network Seven & Triple M
- Neil Mitchell – 3AW
- Andrew Dillon – AFL Executive General Manager Football Operations, Legal and Integrity
- Sarah Fair – AFL Executive General Manager - People
- Jude Donnelly – AFL, Head of Government Relations & Corporate Social Responsibility
- Brett Murphy – AFL PA Representative
- Jennifer Watt - General Manager, Commercial Operations and Partnerships MCC
- Kim Williams – Former AFL Commissioner
