2 Jun 2026
Year 7s from more than ten Catholic schools joined Y other schools, gathering in Perth on Monday 11 May for a Year 7 Soccer Lightning Carnival, which included a Socktober round.
The round gave students the opportunity to play soccer with a sockball (made of old socks, plastic bags, rags, and other discarded items) to show solidarity with children living in poverty around the world.
Some sockballs might not have lasted the whole game but students got an insight into what many children around the world use building a sense of empathy with those children who have limited access to sporting equipment and education.
The students embraced not only the fun of the carnival, but also the opportunity to build understanding, empathy, and awareness through sport, as the sockball is a symbol of hope in many developing countries, where children roam the streets playing with balls they have carefully crafted from recycled materials.
Francis Leong, Diocesan Director at Catholic Mission thanked the students involved for their generosity and fundraising efforts saying it helped Catholic Mission to “support grassroots projects, including healthcare, education, and spiritual care, in more than 30 countries around the world.
“The Socktober round at the Year 7 carnival is a powerful reminder of why soccer is known as ‘the world game’, as it can be played almost anywhere, including urban slums and remote villages, even with a handmade sockball”.
