Football Tasmania has released a new Facilities Strategy for 2023-2026, as they transition from their 2019-2023 strategic plan.
The Facilities Strategy is an evidence-based strategy, designed to ensure sufficient football facilities are available to cater for unmet demand and support the projected growth of football in Tasmania, from grassroots to elite level.
Football Tasmania is seeking support from all key stakeholders – clubs, associations, state and local government, schools – to address the challenges they face in terms of growing the sport in the state.
Bulkeley stated via media release that while the primary focus of the Facilities Strategy was to support grassroots growth, it was also prepared with the view of future-proofing football in Tasmania for eventual A-League teams of its own.
There are key statistics mentioned in the Facilities Strategy by Football Tasmania that highlight where the current state of football is at as of 2022.
38,068 people participated in football, both indoor or outdoor, across Tasmania, with 13,093 of them registered for outdoor football alone. This is the most highlighted and important statistic that Football Tasmania are trying to rapidly increase in the grassroots game.
More importantly, there was a decent 39.4% increase in participation from 2020 to 2021, proving that the growth of the sport has its foundations in Tasmania and they can build on it.
There is an estimated $1,900 annual economic benefit per participant to the State, with social and health benefits
additional. It’s a system right now that can be hugely successful for the state financially and building upon it with this Facilities Strategy is key.
3,768 women and girls are registered to participate in football in Tasmania in 2023, highlighted due to the importance Football Tasmania are putting on 50:50 participation across both genders and is one of their key pillars in the Facilities Strategy.
3,954 people registered for Futsal and participated in it for the year 2022.
Football Tasmania have set foundations for the plan to ensure it succeeds in improving individual facility development at all three levels of football in the state which include:
- State
- Regional hubs
- Local facilities
The Facilities Strategy is based over three planning periods (horizons), to assist in prioritisation and resources allocation to ensure long-term sustainable outcomes.
Horizon 1 – The First Half (2023-2024)
This is considered the planning stage before the implementation of their new facilities and will lay the foundation for long-term success. Includes:
- Facilities Strategy endorsement – including narrative, priorities and resourcing
- Collecting up-to-date data about grassroots football
- State & Federal Govt. engagement – incl. State Sport and Recreation Strategy
Horizon 2 – The Second Half (2025-2026)
The second stage that plans to tick boxes and aim to complete the goals set in the Facilities Strategy. Includes:
- Start and finish work on Regional hubs
- State facility Master-planning / delivery
- Football association / club integration model – juniors and seniors
Horizon 3 – Extra Time (2026+)
The future past this Facilities Strategy that will ensure perennial growth of football in Tasmania. Includes:
- Lobby for Developer Contributions Program
- Embedded planning for elections across all tiers of government
- Creating additional Regional hubs
The growth of football participation is vital for Tasmania, and they are expecting a large amount of growth throughout this 4-year period in the strategy.
Football Tasmania CEO Matt Bulkeley confirmed that football is the largest participation team sport in Tasmania, with around 38,000 participants.
“Football in Tasmania is growing across all categories and is expected to continue to grow,” he said via press release.
The currently have 13,093 registered outdoor football participants as of 2022 which is a 5.8% increase from 2020, indicating the growth is subtle but the demand to play the sport is most certainly there.
There is also more of a focus on the women and girls representation in Tasmanian football. Bulkeley explained the importance of improving facilities to keep the participation for women and girls healthy.
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this year will add to that demand, and we want to ensure that participants – particularly women and girls – aren’t turned away due to the lack of suitable facilities,” he added via press release.
Women & Girls participation and demand numbers
- 3,768 registered outdoor football participants from 2022
- 6.2% increase in registered participants from 2021
- 16.5% increase in registered participants over last 4 years
- 28.8% of total outdoor participants are women and girls with a goal to level this to 50:50 gender participation by 2027
The Facilities Strategy set out by Football Tasmania is in-depth and is a sign that they are positively pushing for suitable facilities that will attract the youth of the state in participating in the sport. Whilst the sport continues to grow, capitalising off the FIFA Women’s World Cup has also been a big talking point in the plan and certainly will help their ambition to grow the women’s game rapidly.
