Adam Goodes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adam Goodes |
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Goodes at a Recognise campaign press conference, 2014
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Adam Roy Goodes | ||
| Date of birth | 8 January 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Wallaroo, South Australia, Australia | ||
| Original team | North Ballarat Rebels | ||
| Draft | No. 43, 1997 National Draft | ||
| Position(s) | Utility | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Adam Roy Goodes (born 8 January 1980) is a famous former professional Australian rules footballer. He played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Adam Goodes is well-known for his important community work. He also spoke out against racism. Because of his efforts, he was named the Australian of the Year in 2014.
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Adam Goodes' Early Life
Adam Goodes was born on January 8, 1980, in Wallaroo, South Australia. His parents are Lisa May and Graham Goodes. He has two brothers, Jake and Brett.
When Adam was four, his parents separated. His father moved to Mackay, Queensland. Adam lived with his mother in different places. These included Wallaroo, Adelaide, and Merbein.
Adam started primary school in Merbein West in 1986. This is where he began playing Australian rules football. Later, his family moved to Horsham, Victoria. He continued playing football in high school. He even played at the under-16 and under-18 levels.
At 16, he joined the North Ballarat Rebels in the TAC Cup. Adam helped the Rebels win a championship. This is when the Sydney Swans noticed his talent.
Adam's younger brother, Brett, also played AFL. Brett played 22 games for the Western Bulldogs.
Adam Goodes' AFL Career Highlights
Adam Goodes was chosen by the Sydney Swans in the 1997 AFL Draft. He spent a year in the reserves team. In 1999, he joined the main team. He quickly won the league's Rising Star Award. This award is for the best young player.
In 2000 and 2001, Adam played in many different positions. He was still improving his game. By 2003, he had his best season yet. He helped the Swans play much better. They even reached the preliminary final. His strong play helped the Swans beat Port Adelaide.
At the end of 2003, Adam won the Swans' best player award. This award is called the Bob Skilton Medal. He was also chosen for the All-Australian team. But his biggest win was the Brownlow Medal. This is the highest individual award in the league. He shared the award with two other players. This was only the second time three players had shared the medal.
In 2005, Adam played a great game in the 2005 AFL Grand Final. He kicked a goal and helped his team a lot. The Swans won their first championship since 1933! Adam also became a life member of the Swans. This happened after he played his 150th game.
In 2006, Adam had another amazing year. He won his second Brownlow Medal. He was very proud of his performance.
Adam played his 250th game in 2009 against Geelong. Many people thought he was one of the best players that season. He scored 38 goals and had many disposals.
Adam played his 300th AFL game in 2011. This was against Hawthorn in a semi-final. He became one of the fastest players to reach this milestone. He was also chosen for the 2011 All-Australian team. This was his fourth time being selected.
In 2011, Adam won the Sydney Swans' Best and Fairest award again. He broke the Sydney games record in 2012. He played his 304th AFL game. He then played in his second championship win. The Swans beat Hawthorn in the 2012 AFL Grand Final.
Adam Goodes' Retirement
Adam Goodes announced he was retiring in September 2015. This was after the Swans lost a semi-final game. He officially retired from the AFL.
Adam Goodes' Community Work
Adam Goodes is of Aboriginal descent. He is very active in the Indigenous community in Sydney. He has worked with Indigenous youth. This includes young people in detention centers. He did this with his cousin and former teammate, Michael O'Loughlin.
Adam and Michael also helped start an Indigenous football academy. In 2009, they launched the Goodes O'Loughlin Foundation. This foundation helps Indigenous role models in Australia. It focuses on education, jobs, and healthy living.
In 2017, Adam received a special award. The University of Sydney gave him an honorary doctorate. This was for his important contributions to Australian society.
In 2023, Adam Goodes signed an open letter. He supported the 'Yes' vote in the Indigenous Voice referendum.
Adam Goodes' Personal Life
Adam Goodes married Natalie Croker in 2016. They have two children. Their first child, Adelaide, was born in 2018. Their second child was born in 2021.
Interesting Facts About Adam Goodes
- Adam's father has English, Irish, and Scottish family roots. His mother is an Aboriginal Australian. She is from the Adnyamathanha and Narungga peoples.
- When he was a boy, Adam preferred soccer.
- He started playing Australian rules football at school. This was because there was no soccer club to join.
- Adam is one of only 12 players to win two or more Brownlow Medals. He is the first Aboriginal Australian to win two. He is also the first player to win two with a non-Victorian club.
- Adam chose not to be included in the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
- He supported the 2020 Indigenous Football Week. This event helps young Indigenous soccer players.
- A painting of Adam Goodes won the 2020 Archibald Prize. This famous art prize had never been won by an Indigenous artist before.
Adam Goodes Quotes
- "Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to trust yourself."
- "It's not about where you come from, it's about where you're going."
- "You can't let success go to your head or failure go to your heart."
- "Don't let the noise of other people's opinions drown out your own inner voice."
Adam Goodes' Achievements
Adam Goodes is a very special player in AFL history. He won two Brownlow Medals and two championships. He was chosen for the All-Australian team four times. He is also part of the Indigenous Team of the Century. He represented Australia in the International Rules Series.
He held the record for the most VFL/AFL games played by an Indigenous player. He passed Andrew McLeod's record in 2014. Later, Shaun Burgoyne broke Adam's record in 2019.
Football Awards
- AFL Premiership (Sydney): 2005, 2012
- Brownlow Medal: 2003, 2006
- Bob Skilton Medal: 2003, 2006, 2011
- All-Australian: 2003, 2006, 2009, 2011
- AFL Rising Star Award: 1999
- Indigenous Team of the Century (centre half-back)
Other Awards
- Australian of the Year: 2014
- Honorary Doctor of the university (DUniv) from the University of South Australia: 2019
Statistics
Adam Goodes played 372 games and scored 464 goals during his career. He had 6,390 disposals.
See also
- List of VFL/AFL players to have played 300 games
- List of VFL/AFL records
