Brisbane Roar sign deal with VERVE Fitness to focus on player development

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Image credit: VERVE Fitness official website

Brisbane Roar announced a two-year partnership with Queensland-based fitness equipment company, VERVE, which will aim to invest in the club’s athlete development programs.

VERVE Fitness is a 100% Australian owned company run by athletes, designing premium equipment tested by athletes to help athletes perform at their best. The company’s ethos is to provide an excellent standard of fitness equipment that has been tested by athletes to ensure peak performance.

The partnership is a significant one with the cornerstone of the deal being the development of the VERVE Performance Centre which is being constructed at Brisbane Roar’s new Brendale training facility – to be ready in time for the 2024/25 season.. This new centre aims to be a hub for the club’s men’s and women’s team to train, using only the best fitness resources in order to help achieve on-field success.

VERVE and the Roar are focusing on putting significant investment into the future of sports training and athlete development. Both organisations have similar values in their views of the importance in athlete development as well as the growth of the grassroots game.

VERVE are making plenty of effort to play their part in improving the qualities of gyms in the league. The fitness equipment company also have an active partnership with Western United as the ‘Official Gym Partner’ and similarly are helping the Victorian-based club by providing state-of-the-art training facilities in their new $2 billion sport focused suburb project.

In this collaboration, VERVE Fitness will play a vital role in supporting Brisbane Roar’s NPL teams. As a result of this commitment, the VERVE logo will be featured on the back of Brisbane Roar’s NPL and u23 team jerseys for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. This visibility puts VERVE’s commitment to sports development at both the grassroots and professional levels on display.

Brisbane Roar COO, Zac Anderson, discussed the alignment in the values of both parties.

“This collaboration with VERVE Fitness is a significant step for Brisbane Roar. It aligns perfectly with our vision of fostering talent and delivering best-in-class facilities to our athletes. The VERVE Performance Centre will be a game-changer in our training capabilities.” Anderson said in a club statement.

VERVE CEO Nial Wogan mentioned the company’s focus on the launch of the new performance centre for the Roar and providing elite fitness resources for the players.

“Today marks a significant milestone in VERVE’s journey as we announce our partnership with Brisbane Roar FC, solidifying our commitment to excellence in sports performance and community,” Wogan added via media release.

“The launch of the ‘VERVE Performance Centre’ symbolizes not just a collaboration but a homecoming for the Brisbane Roar, embodying our shared dedication to reaching new heights. Over the 2024 and 2025 seasons, both organizations will synergize our expertise to empower athletes and redefine what’s possible.”

VERVE Fitness added to existing A-Leagues deals, previously teaming up with Western Melbourne Group and Central Coast Mariners.

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Blacktown District Soccer Football Association Launches Youth League and Poaching Program

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Blacktown District Soccer Football Association has outlined a package of initiatives for the 2026 season centred on youth development, coach education and the celebration of female participation, as the Western Sydney association moves to raise standards across community football and strengthen pathways into state-level competition.

The centrepiece of the association’s development agenda is the Blacktown Youth Development League, a new competition structure spanning all youth Division One competitions in the Under-13 to Under-18 age groups, including Phoenix League female competitions involving both BDSFA and GDSFA clubs. The league applies a benchmarking framework adapted from Football NSW‘s junior competition standards, with clubs encouraged to implement structured training environments including a minimum of two sessions per week where possible.

BDSFA General Manager Owen Liiv said the initiative responded to clear demand from within the football community for more substantive development environments.

“It is pretty clear that people want more and better football experiences,” Liiv said. “The measure for us is high-quality youth football competitions within Blacktown and ultimately, stronger performances in state-wide competitions such as the Football NSW State Cup or Football NSW Champion of Champions.”

The referees branch will support the league by prioritising Division One fixtures and providing three-person match control where available, an operational commitment that acknowledges the role officiating quality plays in the overall development environment.

The Managerial Infrastructure

Running alongside the youth competition is a free coach education program, with Foundation of Football courses delivered across BDSFA’s 24 member clubs by permanent association staff. With more than 1,000 registered coaches across the district, BDSFA has set a target of 85 percent achieving Foundation of Football accreditation within three years. Removing cost as a barrier to accreditation is a deliberate structural choice, reflecting growing recognition across Australian football that coaching quality at community level is inseparable from participation outcomes.

The association also launched Female Football Week with a “Cocktails on the Pitch” event at Blacktown Football Park, attended by close to 100 players, coaches, referees, administrators and volunteers. Former Matilda Leah Blayney addressed the gathering, speaking about her pathway from Wentworth Falls to international football. BDSFA has indicated the event is likely to become an annual fixture on the association calendar.

Taken together, the initiatives reflect an association investing deliberately in the structural conditions that determine whether community football grows sustainably rather than opportunistically.

Manchester City open new training centre for Women’s First Team

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Image credit: Manchester City

The training centre opened earlier this week, following years of planning, investment and ambition for Manchester City Women.

State-of-the-art facilities

Recently crowned WSL Champions, Manchester City Women will now be able to train, prepare and recover in a truly special, purpose-built facility.

Covering 17,000 square feet, a world-class gym, strength & conditioning facilities and dressing room, the site will help players  to maximise performances on the pitch.

But given the facilities also received input from players and staff, inspiring added touches like social spaces and recognition for players with over 100 appearances, it is clear that this is a deeply personal project for all involved at Manchester City Women.

As Managing Director of Manchester City Women, Charlotte O’Neill, highlighted, the training centre is a symbol of excellence and ambition.

“This building is about so much more than bricks and mortar,” O’Neill said via press release.

“It is about creating an environment here our players can thrive, where standards are set at the very highest level and where the current squad has everything it needs to continue to compete for and win silverware.”

A winning project, for a winning team. The training centre is sure to propel Manchester City Women to even greater heights in the seasons to come.

 

Continuing investment trends

Furthermore, as the result of an AUD 18.6 million (GBP 10 million) investment and purpose-built for Manchester City Women, it is yet another example of the current strength of WSL investment.

Just a few weeks ago, Brighton & Hove Albion unveiled plans to construct a new venue for its women’s team, delivering on a clear intention to support commercial growth and infrastructure in the women’s game.

But even after winning their first WSL title this season, the message from the board is clear: Manchester City Women are a fundamental part of the club’s long-term vision.

“This new facility marks the next logical step in our long-term commitment to Manchester City Women, and is an important milestone for the club as a whole,” said Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

“We have always believed in investing to create the right environment for players and staff to develop and succeed. That approach has underpinned every aspect of our work since the professional relaunch of Manchester City Women in 2014.”

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