Community wellness and outreach a priority for Sounders FC

Sounders FC

Providence, a not-for-profit health system serving the Western United States, has joined forces with the Sounders Football Club, Seattle’s Major League Soccer franchise.

This collaboration has brought together two forward-thinking, community-oriented companies that believe in having a deliberate, meaningful impact on the area of youth mental health and wellness.

The community of Renton is home to the Sounders FC Centre, Seattle Sounders FC’s new state-of-the-art training facility set to be completed in 2024. Renton is located approximately 18 kilometres south of Seattle with a school district serving over 15,000 young people, making this partnership ever the more critical.

The union between Sounders FC and Providence was recently announced at Renton High School, one of the nine high schools located in the Renton vicinity.

Renton High School was deliberately selected to be the location of the announcement in order to highlight the introduction of a collaborative and thoughtful relationship between the two organisations and the Renton school district. Through research, it has been made aware that schools are one of the most effective forums for providing consistent and accessible behavioural health services to children and adolescents.

Working together with district leaders, Sounders FC and Providence will develop, implement, and provide support for a variety of programming and services focused on ways to improve mental health for young people.

With the big surge in mental health-related issues since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Providence and Seattle Sounders FC understand the seriousness of considering innovative ways to tackle this devastating crisis.

According to 2021 research, during the pandemic, 37 percent of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health and 44 percent reported persistently feeling sad or hopeless. This data backs up the idea that something ought to be done about creating healthier communities.

This partnership will strive to develop these communities by empowering youth, using health education, physical activity, preventative medicine and access to resources. The collaboration with the Renton school district will ensure that investments are applied where and how they are most needed.

The overall goal of the collaboration between these organisations is to address mental wellbeing for students in the Renton School District. In seeing this goal come to fruition, intentions may include:

  • Increasing access to school-based mental health services.
  • Creating educational programs designed to support awareness of mental health concerns.
  • Normalising the conversation surrounding mental health, reducing the stigma around it, and promoting resources available through Providence, the Renton School District, and other partners.
  • Implementing safe spaces for children to play.
  • Conducting sports camps that include mental wellbeing curricula.
  • Maintaining a culture within local area schools to help every child prioritise their mental wellbeing and be equipped to support their peers.

These services are ongoing and part of a long-term commitment by Sounders FC and Providence, addressing the issue of mental health amongst youth.

As part of the partnership announcement at Renton High School – students, Sounders FC players and others in attendance all took a pledge to help support mental health awareness. They encourage the community to do the same.

Also involved in this partnership are the jersey front rights for all Sounders FC home and away kits. Providence is becoming just the third jersey partner in the club’s MLS history to be showcased on the front of the players’ kits.

Additionally, physicians from Providence Swedish will serve as team doctors, working together with the club’s sports medicine staff, providing state-of-the-art care to assist players in managing acute injuries, maximising rehabilitation and training, preventing injuries and navigating general health needs.

Providence was first highlighted on the kits of the Sounders FC during the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco, when they became the first MLS team in history to compete in the tournament.

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Melbourne Victory’s brand-new infrastructure strategy

Melbourne Victory & SEDA

A-League giant Melbourne Victory has revealed a brand-new extensive infrastructure strategy to foster and support tomorrow’s footballing stars.

The strategic infrastructure plan set out by Victory will aim to develop youth and women’s football programs by providing improved access to world class footballing facilities and player pathways across Victoria.

To achieve this, Melbourne Victory has opted for a campus model to enable players access to connected and consistent facilities across the North, East, South and West of Melbourne, all within an hour’s journey of Victory’s club administrative centre and the A-League Men’s training facilities at Gosch’s Paddock.

The club also intends to build another campus within the Melbourne city centre, with the first campus location to be announced by the club soon, as it continues to review and assess possible sites across the city.

Melbourne Victory Chairman, John Dovaston, explained why the club had chosen the campus model.

“The announcement of this project, and the direction taken, is aimed at ensuring we are best placed to attract and retain football talent across the State,” he said in a press release.

“Our innovative approach will allow us to have a number of campuses with not only an elite focus, but also, an eye on building our community to ensure that all Victorians have an opportunity to participate and engage in our game.”

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the new infrastructure strategy was so important to the club.

“It is well understood that sport and football can influence social cohesion, and it’s our responsibility as a Club to establish infrastructure and programs that can positively impact members of the community, regardless of gender, background or location, whether that be through training the next generation of football stars, or using football as a vehicle to lead, unite, connect and inspire the community more broadly,” she said via press release.

“By enabling Victory to connect with communities across the North, South, East, and West of AAMI Park, our spiritual home, we can truly grow the Victory family and set new standards for elite facilities in our Pathway and community programs.”

The infrastructure project is an important move for the club, allowing it to grow, improve and future-proof its current suite of footballing programs. Currently, Victory operates nine elite and 23 pathway programs, providing services to over 16,000 participants across Victoria. Through the campus model, the club hopes it will be able to more efficiently develop the new generation of A-League and national team players.

“The priority is to provide not just an entry point for individuals to engage and participate in football, but to keep them engaged and provide a holistic journey to grow the Victory family across the State,” Carnegie continued.

“We are excited about the opportunities that the project can provide and the potential for growth for our Club and for football in the future.”

Melbourne Victory will continue to issue updates as it sets on the 5-year-plus journey to complete the entire project. For more information on the club’s major infrastructure strategy, access the plan HERE.

 

WA Community Use of School Sporting Facilities grants open

Soccer youths

The first round of the WA Community Use of School Sporting Facilities Program grants is now open for applications until March 21.

The program is an initiative from the West Australian government aimed to inspire partnerships between schools and community sporting groups to more effectively use sporting facilities and foster a greater sense of community.

Developed in collaboration with the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC), and the Department of Education (DoE), the program strives to:

  • improve access to sporting facilities for community sporting groups
  • improve school sports facilities
  • assist schools in developing their facilities for outside hours use without damaging student safety
  • encourage partnerships between schools and community sporting groups

Grants Eligibility 

Program funding is only available to WA public primary or secondary schools, which have partnered with at least one community sporting group under a DoE Community Use Agreement.

Schools applying for funding must prove they need monetary support to develop facilities and assist community sporting groups to use facilities. Additionally, they need an Eligibility Declaration from their partnered sporting grouping to confirm it will regularly access the facilities.

The partnered community sporting group must also meet a range of eligibility requirements:

  • It must be incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act 2015 (WA),
  • Or it must be an Indigenous organisation under the Corporations (Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
  • Or it must be a company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
  • It must participate in a classified sport under the DLGSC
  • It must be registered under a DLGSC recognised state sport association (SSA)
  • It must enter teams into a local sport program or DLGSC SSA affiliated competition
  • It must have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • It must comply with the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004
  • It must maintain insurance to cover the DoE CUA

Grants Funding Parameters 

There is up to $50,000 worth of funding available for successful applicants across four different types of one-off investments:

Minor Equipment or Infrastructure

This includes funding for small scale items such goalposts, equipment storage or other minor items or infrastructure.

Minor Playing Surface or Upgrade of Oval or Hardcourts

This includes funding for minor improvements to sports fields and courts, such as:

  1. Resurfacing
  2. Marking
  3. Reticulation
  4. Returfing
  5. Grass oval rejuvenation works

Minor Improvements to Existing Surfaces 

This includes funding for small scale improvements that make sporting facilities safer for outside use, such as locks, cameras, gates, and lights.

Other Relevant Activities That Enhance Facilities Use

This includes funding for activities that would increase the use of sporting facilities, such as for one off payments for staff and equipment.

How to Apply for Grants

Applications for the program can be completed online on the DLGSC website.

Before applying make sure to read the guidelines and have the necessary documentation ready.

Documents you will need are:

  • Signed Community Use Agreement (or letter of intent to enter at CUA)
  • Community Sport Group Eligibility Declaration
  • Quotes, photos, files and documents to use as evidence to support your claim

Applications for the first round of funding must be completed and submitted before March 21 5.00 pm 2025. If you miss out on this round or are unsuccessful, there are two more rounds of grants occurring later in the year.

The second round of applications will open March 24 9.00 pm and close May 16 5.00 pm 2025. While the third round of applications will open May 19 9.00 pm and close July 4 5.00 pm 2025.

 

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