Football Queensland expands Coach Education Network statewide

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Image credit: Football Queensland

Football Queensland (FQ) has confirmed the expansion of the Coach Education Tutors (CET) program. This initiative emphasises a developmental focus on rural and urban communities across the state to benefit high-quality coach and player development.

FQ now has over 40 CETs in grassroots and foundation courses. The addition of eight new C Diploma and four new B Diploma tutors will be a cornerstone of FQ’s 2023-2026 One Football Strategic plan and FQ’s 2024-2026 Game Development Strategy.

The benefits of the expansion of the CETs program are as follows:

  • Amplify the quality of coaching across Queensland
  • Talent development support has increased
  • Enhance player experience through access to qualified coaches
  • Mentorship opportunities are available to new coaches

FQ General Manager – Football and State Technical Director, Gabor Ganzcer, spoke about the increase in the CET program and its benefits for FQ’s long-term success in development.

“By providing quality training and upskilling opportunities, we foster a culture of excellence that resonates across all game levels. Every coach plays a crucial role in delivering a top-tier experience, and we are dedicated to equipping them with the best training available,” he said in a press release.

“Expanding our network of CETs will not only enhance the quality of coaching across the state but also enrich the overall experience for players as access to more qualified coaches will empower our community and help nurture the next generation of football talent.”

Football Australia’s established interview process and thorough screening of new CETs ensure a high-quality football experience for more participants. Capitalising on modern technology and an updated learning/training program to upskill tutors, FQ will provide high standards of football education in regional and metropolitan Queensland communities.

FQ Technical Director – Coach Development, Davide Bartamini, highlights the strengthening of the community coaching framework.

“This is a proud moment for Football Queensland and an important advancement in our strategy to strengthen football education throughout the state, and we commend the dedication and hard work of all those involved in this process and celebrate the high calibre of the new CETs,” he said in a press release.

“Additionally, with the latest accreditations, we now have 21 CETs qualified to deliver ‘C’ Diploma courses and four new ‘B’ Diploma CETs, bringing the total number of ‘B’ Diploma tutors to seven. This expansion, which includes representatives from regional areas, underscores our commitment to making football education accessible throughout Queensland and enhancing mentorship opportunities for coaches.”

The enhancement of the CET program will send representatives to rural grassroots areas, focusing on statewide development. Making football accessible throughout Queensland and providing ample developmental initiatives to increase talent and participation are key long-term strategies for the state.

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South Canberra FC Breaks the Mold: Equity-Driven Model Earns ‘Club Changer’ Honour

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South Canberra Football Club has been named Club Changer of the Month for April, in a recognition that reflects a broader shift across Australian football toward rewarding clubs that are actively dismantling the structural barriers limiting women’s access to the game.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup has just delivered record crowds and unprecedented visibility for women’s football in Australia, and the Club Changer program is now asking what comes next. Its decision to name South Canberra Football Club as Club Changer of the Month for April signals a clear shift in how the program defines contribution: away from participation numbers alone, and toward the equity frameworks that determine whether women stay in the game once they arrive.

South Canberra FC built that framework from the ground up. Established in 2021, the club set out to give women and female-identifying players a safe, inclusive environment to play football at any level. It runs entirely on volunteers, operates as a not-for-profit, and is governed by an all-female committee with 13 of its 14 coaches identifying as female.

 

Building the infrastructure of inclusion

In 2026, the club secured grant funding and put it to work immediately. Two coaches are completing their C Licence qualification, and ten coaches, players and community members have undertaken the Foundations of Football course, which directly tackles the cost and accessibility barriers that exclude women out of coaching pathways.

The club also commissioned a female-specific strength and conditioning program with sports physiotherapists ahead of the 2026 season, targeting injury prevention and explicitly supporting players returning after childbirth.

SCFC’s leadership team draws from LGBTIQ+ individuals, First Nations people and veterans, strengthening the club’s connection to the communities it was built to represent.

The Club Changer program is backing clubs that do this work- clubs that treat equity as infrastructure rather than aspiration. At a moment when Australian football is under pressure to turn its biggest-ever surge of women’s interest into something lasting, SCFC’s model offers a clear answer to the question of how.

Football NSW announces 2026 First Nations Scholarships as pathway access program enters new phase

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Football NSW has announced the recipients of its 2026 First Nations Scholarships, with ten emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from metropolitan and regional NSW receiving support designed to reduce the financial and structural barriers that have historically limited First Nations participation across the football pathway.

The scholarship program, developed and assessed in collaboration with the Football NSW Indigenous Advisory Group, targets players across both elite and development environments – recognising that talent identification alone is insufficient without the resources to support progression once players are identified.

Co-Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Group Bianca Dufty said the calibre of this year’s recipients reflected the depth of First Nations football talent across the state, and the importance of structured support in converting that talent into long-term participation.

“Their dedication to football and the desire to be role models for younger Aboriginal footballers in their communities is to be celebrated,” Dufty said. “I’m confident we will see some of these talented footballers in the A-League and national teams in the future.”

 

Beyond the pitch and into the pipeline

The 2026 cohort spans both metropolitan clubs and regional associations, an intentional distribution that acknowledges the particular barriers facing First Nations players outside major population centres, where access to development programs, qualified coaching and pathway competitions is more limited and the cost of participation more prohibitive.

The next phase of the program will introduce First Nations coaching scholarships, extending the initiative’s reach beyond playing pathways and into the coaching and administration pipeline – areas where Indigenous representation remains among the lowest in the game.

The structural logic is clear. Scholarships that reduce financial barriers at the entry point of elite pathways matter most when they are part of a sustained ecosystem of support rather than isolated gestures. Football NSW’s collaboration with the Indigenous Advisory Group provides that continuity, ensuring the program is shaped by the communities it is designed to serve.

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