Adelaide Olympic secure permanent residency at APEX Football Stadium

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Football South Australia side Adelaide Olympic Football Club are now the tenants of the newly named APEX Football Stadium, formerly known as VALO Football Centre.

As part of the move into the State Centre for Football at Gepps Cross, Football SA has now officially handed keys to the venue located in Angle Park.

The venue opened its doors in 2015 and has previously hosted Australia Cup matches, Women’s NPLSA, RAA NPLSA and community events such as talent ID carnivals, regional camps, and the RAA African Nations Cup.

At the time of being built, the venue was the second full-size synthetic pitch in South Australia. Since 2015, the facility has expanded with the establishment of a second synthetic pitch accompanied with a grandstand.

Football South Australia CEO Michael Carter was extremely pleased to be handing over the facility to Adelaide Olympic.

“The Parks Football Centre (now known as Apex Stadium) being handed to Adelaide Olympic was a legacy tied to the establishment of the State Centre for Football. I am so pleased for Adelaide Olympic to be getting a quality home of their own,” he said in a statement.

Adelaide Olympic President, Stavros Parissos added via Football SA:

“From 23 junior players, no uniforms and serving drinks from a trestle table at a foreign ground 10 years ago to being a leading club with successful MiniRoos, Juniors and Senior teams including back to back Cup champions and now consolidation of all our operation at APEX Football Stadium I couldn’t be prouder.

“This couldn’t have happened without the support of our volunteers and supporters, the state Labor government of South Australia, the Office of Recreation and Sport & Football South Australia.”

A process has been started to change the venue name on Google Maps and on all livestream broadcasts.

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More than 220 coaches attend Football South Australia’s second NOVA Youth Club Championship workshop

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Image Credit: FQ

Football South Australia drew more than 220 coaches to its second NOVA Youth Club Championship Coaches Workshop in late May, underlining the scale of engagement clubs are generating through the state’s restructured youth competition framework.

The online session was facilitated by Football SA Technical Director Michael Cooper, who also serves as Junior Matildas Head Coach. Cooper shared observations from the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup and Australia’s qualification for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, giving club-level coaches a window into the demands and standards of elite international football.

The presenter line-up extended that international lens further. Lachlan Tosh and Cristiano Dos Santos spoke to their experiences in national tournament environments, while legendary Australian coach Tom Sermanni addressed the fundamentals of youth coaching. Colin Sanctuary from the University of Newcastle examined coaching language and its direct influence on player learning.

Themes running across the session included the primacy of long-term player development over short-term results, with presenters consistently emphasising technique, ball mastery, individual improvement, and decision-making under pressure. Coaches were encouraged to expose players to varied styles of play, facilitate practice outside organised training, and help young players retain possession longer in match conditions.

Post-session feedback pointed to strong practical value, with coaches singling out clear communication, relationship-building, and age-appropriate feedback as key takeaways.

The workshop series sits within the broader transition from the Youth Premier League to the Club Championship model, which ties coaching participation to championship points for clubs and CPD credits toward individual coaching diplomas. Six workshops are scheduled across the season, with four still to come.

Football SA commits to quality with TigerTurf partnership

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Image credit: Bokeh Blur Background / Shutterstock.com

An industry leader in synthetic pitches and sports surface technology, TigerTurf will now team up with Football SA as a Preferred Supplier of Synthetic Pitches.

Supporting growth on and off the pitch

A key issue facing many clubs and districts across Australia’s football landscape is facility access.

Sharing venues and pitches with other winter sports restricts not just playing time, but pitch quality when access becomes available.

But with TigerTurf’s expertise, built over the course of 40 years in the industry, footballers in South Australia will now see the installation of quality and durable synthetic pitches designed to support their footballing journey.

“Football continues to experience strong and sustained growth across South Australia, and with that growth comes an increasing need for high-quality, sustainable and accessible facilities,” explained Football SA Chief Executive Officer, Michael Carter.

“Our role at Football SA is to support clubs not only on the field, but also in ensuring they have the infrastructure required to grow their communities and deliver football for generations to come.”

Furthermore, TigerTurf Australia General Manager, Travis Knight, also commented on the organisation’s mission to players and people across communities in South Australia.

“At TigerTurf, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy safe, reliable and high-quality spaces to play,” Knight said via press release.

“This partnership allows us to work alongside Football SA to create inclusive facilities that encourage more people to participate, stay active and feel part of the football community.”

 

Responding to participation

Football continues to be Australia’s most participated team sport. According to Football Australia, roughly 1.93 million people enjoy the beautiful game within clubs, schools, social settings and futsal.

In South Australia alone, 2024 saw total participation reach 126,934, emphasising the need for widespread facility access.

Thus, TigerTurf’s role in the industry goes far beyond pitch installation. Through its partnership with South Australia, they are ensuring current players can continue to develop as players, while also building strong foundations for future generations.

All-year-round access, reductions in weather cancellations, and long-term planning opportunities mean that synthetic pitches are a valuable investment.

And, partnered with the industry knowledge of TigerTurf, Football SA can expect this investment to return ten-fold in the form of participation, growth and community spirit.

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