Football SA extending Development Centres throughout regional and metropolitan areas

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Football SA Development Centres
Image credit: Football SA

Football South Australia (SA) announced the expansion of its Development Centres for boys and girls from ages nine to 13.

This expansion will offer more football and more opportunities for players in the Barossa, Noarlunga, Port Lincoln and Metropolitan Adelaide.

The five new centres add to the four currently located in the Limestone Coast, Whyalla, Riverland and the Adelaide Hills, taking the total up to nine centres in 2024.

Much of the talk has been the incredible impact that the home soil FIFA Women’s World Cup has had on football participation in the country across all age groups. There has been a notable uptick in player participation in regional areas , registering a 16.5% increase. Across the entire state, there is overall growth of 9%.

The key goal of the Football SA Development Centres expansion is to lay the grassroots foundation in place and create a suitable environment for kids so that their talent is recognised and captured by coaches.

These added sessions as a result of the expansion are designed not to conflict with existing club activities and will enhance players’ fundamental footballing skills.

Football SA Technical Director Michael Cooper touched on the opportunity this opens up for player development at the early ages.

“When we started the original program in 2023, we had the vision to implement a state-wide program that provides equal opportunities for players to progress to our State programs and offerings, which are highly regarded nationally,” Cooper said via Football SA press release.

“Taking our programs to regional South Australia has prevented the need for young players to travel week in week out to Adelaide for specialised coaching. This illustrates our support for regional associations and pathways we collectively offer.

“We are excited to see all players come together at events such as the State Development Carnival in July and I am confident more players will be identified from regional areas in the future.”

An issue Football South Australia touched on in their 2023-2026 Strategic Plan was the lack of regional players making the transition into state and regional squads.

The key function of Football SA, as mentioned on their website, has always been player development and to increase participation. This Development Centre expansion will service the regional communities and allow potential talented players, who weren’t recognised before, to grow through a natural pathway up until they represent state squads.

Macarthur FC confirmed two-year deal with Purple Cow Industries

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Image credit: IOIO IMAGES / Shutterstock.com

Macarthur FC has confirmed a new two-year collaboration with Purple Cow Industries, a leading waste management company.

As part of this agreement, Purple Cow will serve as the official back-of-shorts sponsor for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 Isuzu UTE A-League seasons.

The partnership will see Purple Cow’s logo prominently displayed on the back of the Bulls’ shorts throughout both seasons. In addition to branding, the collaboration will include matchday activations and efforts to expand the club’s business network.

Purple Cow Industries are an Australian waste management and rubbish removal company that has the ability and experience to handle every commercial site’s different waste management demands.

The company, located locally in Beverly Hills, NSW prides itself on Environmental Management, Sustainability and Service Quality, doing waste management effectively and environmentally friendly.

This partnership is a significant milestone for both Macarthur FC and Purple Cow, bringing together two forward-thinking organisations with a shared vision for growth and success.

Macarthur FC Group CEO, Sam Krslovic, shared his excitement about the collaboration.

“We are thrilled to welcome Purple Cow as a partner to the Macarthur FC family,” said Krslovic in a club statement.

“This partnership is a testament to our club’s ongoing commitment to excellence and innovation both on and off the pitch. Purple Cow’s support will be instrumental as we aim for success in the upcoming season and beyond.”

Purple Cow CEO Alex Soukie, also spoke highly of the new alliance.

“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Macarthur Football Club, as Purple Cow Industries shares their passion for football and looks forward to supporting the South Western Sydney region,” he said in a statement.

This partnership signifies another exciting step for Macarthur FC as the club continues to forge strong ties with prominent brands and the local community.

Macarthur FC have been one of the busiest clubs in the sponsorship area so far in preseason, and the new club in the east are building their partnership portfolio which is vital for financial sustainability.

Purple Cow become the sixth major partner of the club, joining SipEnergy as new major partners for 2024/25 and beyond, with all of the other major partners based in NSW. The club has a clear goal in place to grow naturally with local businesses and build a solid foundation.

Melbourne City give back to local primary school

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Image credit: Melbourne City website

Melbourne City’s charity, City in the Community (CITC), has donated new football goals to Barton Primary School in Cranbourne West as part of the club’s Healthy Goals initiative.

The program encourages more young people to play football to promote physical health and gain important social, emotional and cognitive skills that will help their overall development and well-being.

There are three core initiatives that the CITC are focusing on this year:

  • Supporting local schools with facility improvements to ensure more young people can access our free football programming from CITC.
  • Supporting community groups and clubs with equipment upgrades and free football programming from CITC.
  • Working with local artists to commemorate art and football projects, celebrating community pride, and cultural heritage while creating a visually appealing environment for the local community.

This most recent contribution towards Barton Primary School aligns with the first core initiative to support local schools, with Melbourne City players Laura Hughes and Alessandro Lopane attending to talk to the kids.

For the past three years, CITC has been involved with the Cranbourne West Primary School taking part in initiatives such as walking football, inviting students to become player mascots as well as player visits.

CITC’s Community Program Lead, Stephen Frantzeskakis talked about their recent contribution and how the club are continuing to create a positive impact on the community.

“I think it’s fantastic that we’re able to continue supporting Barton Primary School and its students through the Healthy Goals initiative, especially given their strong interest and ongoing passion for football,” he said in a media release on the club’s website,” he said via club release statement.

“We’ve been working with Barton Primary School for a number of years now and have also recently run our respectful relationships program with Grade 5 and 6 students.

“To have strong role models like Ale and Laura come down to speak to students about topics like respect and resilience is terrific, and it’s great to be able to extend our partnership through the donation of new goals as well.”

Barton Primary School Principal, Benjamin Vevers talked about the school’s partnership with Melbourne City and how it’s helping its students.

“Given many of our students were born or have parents and families from other countries, the school is truly passionate about the world game and having new goals means our kids get to fully experience a quality soccer match every recess and lunch,” he said via press release.

“It was a memorable experience that may inspire some of our students to reach for the stars with football, maybe even the Brisbane Olympics!

“Our students are learning to be more respectful of each other during competitive sport, girls are becoming more active during breaks playing soccer, and students are super excited each week for the program.”

It’s important to have these types of initiatives to allow clubs and their players to connect with their local community. We’ve seen these gestures throughout the years from the A-League clubs by continuing to show their commitment to support their local community whether that’s giving back through donations or providing programs to steer young people in the right direction.

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