SAMMY Lilly normally divides her time between Mansfield and Melbourne, but every four years she heads overseas to compete in the World Dwarf Games in her chosen sport - soccer.

The Games are the largest international sporting event exclusively for athletes with dwarfism.

Sammy, in her mid-thirties, has just returned from the eighth Games held in the German city of Cologne from July 28 to August 5.

It was Sammy’s fourth Games, after being introduced to the competition 14 years ago, initially competing in swimming at the Belfast Games.

“Ireland was not only my first Games it was also an Australian first,” says Sammy.

“I’m a member of a short-statured organisation which is Australia-wide, and we found out about the Games and we thought we’d see if we could send a team.”

So in 2009, 10 athletes from Australia went to Ireland.

Sammy was one of two swimmers. Most of the team were basketballers.

She walked away with an impressive five golds from her time in the pool, with the basketball team also medalling up.

“They got a silver if I recollect correctly,” she says.

“Those games represented the first time in my life that I had played sport against people who were like me.

“Up until that point I had been used to coming last.

“It would happen again and again and again until sport just wasn’t very fun anymore and became - to be honest - quite dispiriting.

“This was the first time that we all got to compete on an even playing-field.

“Each and every athlete who went to Belfast took away the realisation that they weren’t terrible at sport, and that in itself was all the reward we needed.”

For Sammy, the medals were a nice aside: the self-confidence she gained from the experience and the positive affirmation were two of the biggest take-aways for her.

She also discovered a new love – soccer.

“At the games, they had a couple of come-and-try sessions so athletes could get a feel for the different disciplines as one of the goals of the competition is to increase uptake and participation in sport," Sammy says.

“I gave soccer a go, and I was hooked.

“It’s a really accessible sport for people who are not tall.

“Generally speaking the ball is on the ground, there are no hoops or anything up high, and players don’t always need to be the fastest or the strongest.

“It’s quite a clever sport for somebody of shorter stature, and playing soccer in Belfast proved to be something of a revelation.”

Sammy has devoted her time and energy ever since to the “beautiful game”, working to build a women’s soccer team to represent Australia at the World Dwarf Games.

In 2013, Australia competed at the Michigan-based Games managing to pull together a mixed team for the event.

“It was fantastic and even though we came fourth, we felt like we had won gold,” Sammy says.

In Canada in 2017, Australia fielded its first all-female team and with Sammy as captain the team powered through to secure silver.

“Unfortunately we were knocked out early at the most recent Games in Germany.

“But that’s sport,” she says.

It was at the most recent Games that Sammy was one of the flag bearers and co-captain of the Australian team.

She admits though she is not one to usually get teary, this was one of those moments that challenged her composure.

“This was the first time in our history of firsts that we brought across a large group of junior athletes to compete,” she said.

“And by junior, I mean 10 to 13 year olds.

“When we walked on at the Games and I looked across to the stands and saw all the parents sobbing, that’s when it hit home.

“It’s so beautiful to be part of this event, that brings together all these people who’ve been on the margins of sport, and have them not just participate in an event – not just join in – but to actually win.

“It’s incredible to see people’s confidence grow, and I wish that I had known about this when I was a ten year old at school.”

The Games have grown exponentially since Sammy first competed, both on an international level and within Australia = which recently sent its biggest team on record to the largest games to date.

Back in 2009, 12 countries fielded teams for Belfast with 250 athletes competing over 10 different sporting disciplines.

Four years later, the games attracted 395 athletes representing a total of 16 countries with East Lansing a city in the state of Michigan in the United States, playing host.

The city of Guelph in southwestern Ontario province in Canada hosted the Games in 2017 and then Cologne welcomed over 500 athletes representing 24 countries in 2023 after the Games were pushed back a couple of years due to the challenges of COVID.

“I can only see it growing,” says Sammy, with the 2027 games to be hosted on home soil.

“The games are always hosted in the northern hemisphere’s Summer holidays, so even though it would be excellent to have the games in Victoria, it’s most likely that Queensland will play host.”

For Sammy and all the other Australian athletes, the build-up to the games can be somewhat of a lonely commitment, with the competitors all self-motivated and self-funded.

“Everybody is spread out across the country, from Perth to Rockhampton to Tasmania and everywhere in between,” she says.

Invariably athletes train by themselves.

Team camps are then organised throughout the training period to build that motivating team spirit and develop skills.

“The camps usually take place either in Melbourne or on the Gold Coast as they have the facilities that we need,” says Sammy.

Not that the athletes need anything overly specific.

Of the 10 sporting disciplines at the Games, very minimal modifications are required for athletes to compete.

“The basketball hoops are the same height, just the ball is slightly smaller,” says Sammy.

“In soccer, the pitch is the same size, but the goals are a little smaller.

“Both in badminton and volleyball, the nets are all the same height.

“Boccia is a precision ball sport, similar to bocce, and related to bowls and pétanque, with competitors sitting on the ground to compete.

“And as for swimming, track and field and powerlifting, little to no modifications are required for these disciplines, with archery and table tennis equipment modified to be fit for purpose,” she said.

At the recent games, Australia fielded athletes in each discipline, with the medal tally for Cologne yet to be released.

“I’m envisaging that we’ll be in the top five,” says Sammy of their achievement, a feat which should not be underestimated.

With athletes dotted around the country, and with no funding invested in the team or in fostering inclusive activities for the short-statured community, competing at the World Dwarf Games and all the training in the lead-up is driven by fundraising.

Whether that be trivia nights, raffles, applying for grants or emailing companies in hope of sponsorship, it’s an exhausting and sometimes soul-destroying grind for the athletes.

“It’s a massive undertaking, and there is a pretty big expectation on each and every team member to contribute," Sammy says.

“It’s hard work, and that’s even before you factor in training.”

Having just finished a masters of disability and inclusion at Deakin University, Sammy is now working hard to generate interest and excitement in the upcoming 2027 Games.

She is hoping that local sponsors will see the Games for the positive and inclusive event that it is and throw their support behind the Australian team.

“For the participants, their families and supporters the games represent more than an uplifting and supportive experience, they represent the opportunity for forging lifelong friendships and for changing the dialogue on competitive sports to one that is more inclusive,” Sammy says.

“And that in itself is something worth supporting.”