Internationally renowned rap artist Snoop Dogg landed in Sydney yesterday to much fanfare, but nothing like the reception he received at The Block in Redfern.

Over 400 Redfernites turned out at The Block to welcome Snoop Dogg to the country, and to show what South Sydney Rugby League is all about. The passion, the love and the Field of Dreams.

The Block is an infamous area in Redfern, and Redfern Police are trying to implement programs to help the kids that live on and around The Block, to help steer them away from the dangers of living on the streets, and into a healthy lifestyle.

One such program they are trying to get off the ground, with the assistance of the local community and Souths Cares, is the Field of Dreams project.

Next to world champion boxer Anthony Mundine’s Gym in Redfern, is a block of land owned by the Aboriginal Housing Company which is approximately 140 metres long and 30 metres wide, perfect for a mini football field. Level off the ground, remove the needles and broken glass, put in some removable goal posts, and you have the makings of an alternative option for kids on The Block to live a healthy lifestyle and stay away from trouble. A Field of Dreams.

Georgie Israel, Crime Prevention Officer at Redfern Police, said kids in Redfern need facilities that give them an alternative to the streets.

“One of the things we identified down at The Block, was complaints from community people about kids being out in the street playing football, not having a safe environment to actually kick a football around,” Israel said.

“We sat down with Mick Mundine and discussed some solutions to the problems and Mick offered The Block as an area to build a Field of Dreams to give the kids somewhere safe to play.

“We’re looking for sponsorship to help make this happen and give the kids from Redfern a safe environment and get the community involved as well.”

Assistance came in the form of Souths Cares and Snoop Dogg. Souths Cares are fully supporting the Field of Dreams project, and players such as John Sutton and Redfern’s own Nathan Merritt are supportive as well.

Merritt, who grew up around The Block, said it’s important to help the kids make something of themselves.

“It’s tough growing up in an area like Redfern but some of my best memories are of playing with my friends around the area,” he said.

“I was lucky that I had football to play and that helped me achieve my goals and live my dreams playing for the Rabbitohs.

“Some kids don’t have those opportunities, so a Field of Dreams at The Block will definitely help these kids out.

“Having someone like Snoop Dogg support it too helps big time too. It’s great to have him down here in Redfern and talking to the people of the area. It’s massive.”

Snoop Dogg was not just some celebrity in town trying to look good for the media by turning up in Redfern.

The world’s pre-eminent rap artist started his own kids football competition called the Snoop Youth Football League in Los Angeles, taking kids off the streets and giving them organised sport, friendship and discipline to help guide them through their difficult formative years.

“I started my own football league where I took basically a community of kids and put them in a program where they could play football and have something to do with themselves and stay out of trouble,” Snoop told the hundreds of people crammed into the Redfern Community Centre.

“I feel that’s the same thing that these people out here are trying to do, is trying to build you all a Field of Dreams to keep these kids out of trouble so they can do something positive with themselves.

“Because no matter where you’re from, you can always do something special in life if you put your mind to it.

“But like I said, no matter where you’re from you can get anywhere you want to be if you put school first and just do all the things in life that you’re supposed to do.”

Snoop is a self confessed Nathan Merritt fan. Merritt, in front of his family, his friends, and his people, had the opportunity to meet his musical hero, and to present him with a personalised Rabbitohs jersey, complete with the name ‘Snoop Dogg’ and a huge number 2 on the back, Merritt’s number.

“It was a big thing to meet Snoop and to present him the jersey,” Merritt gleamed.

“But it’s a bigger thing for these kids to see him and hear what he had to say about making something of yourself, because it’s true.

“Follow your dreams and you can achieve them.

“My dream was to play for, and represent South Sydney, and I get to do that every day of my life.

“That’s what Snoop is trying to say and the Field of Dreams will go a long way to helping these kids achieve their dreams.”