Just as the Chicago Bears’ George “Papa Bear” Halas is considered the “father” of the National Football League, the same can be said of Paul O’Keeffe, senior manager-Management Consulting, with respect to Australian Football played in the United States.
Paul, a native of Australia who now calls Milwaukee, Wisconsin home, founded the Aussie version of football in the United States, having advanced the rough-and-tumble sport from what was just a few clubs in 1997 to more than 1,500 men’s and women’s players across the country today.
In recognition of his vision and achievements, Paul recently became the first inductee to the United States Australian Football League Hall of Fame.
“It has been very satisfying to see how much the sport has grown in the US, and it is nice to be recognized for all the hard work I have put into it,” Paul said. “The best part isknowing that the sport will survive here long-term without me.”
Paul, or “Plugger” as he is known, is not going anywhere, continuing to play and serve on the boards of both the League and his home team the Milwaukee Bombers. From 1997-1999, Paul served as the league’s founding president during a time in which the league grew from five to 35 clubs.
After moving to the United States 17 years ago, Paul became a bit homesick for the sport he played as a youth. Having formed a team in Kansas City, Missouri with fellow expatriate Australians, Australian Football caught on with Americans who today comprise approximately 80 percent of the US teams.
“I have always enjoyed the competition and the club culture,” Paul said. “It is an atmosphere where everyone is welcome.”
Paul describes Australia’s most popular sport as being part soccer, volleyball, ultimate Frisbee and American football—and undeniably athletic and full-contact. It is an equal-opportunity sport, he says, because people of varying athletic skills and physical attributes can and do participate.
“It is a lot like Australia’s platypus,” he says. “It has a little bit of everything. Anyone thinking about trying the sport should just get in there and give it a go.”
Australian Football, which marks its 150th anniversary in 2008, is not only growing in the United States but gaining in foothold in countries like Spain, Canada, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark, and it enjoys long-time popularity in many Asia-Pacific countries. Melbourne, Australia, with its nine professional teams, is essentially the world’s epicenter of Australian Football.
As more Americans come to understand and play the game, Paul projects that Australian Football will grow to 10,000 participants in the next 10 years, with professional leagues possibly forming.
“Just look at soccer in the US in the 1970s,” Paul said. “Those first pro leagues folded, but as more people played soccer, new leagues formed and now professional soccer is thriving today.”