Football West to host Club Development Conference next month

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Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Football West has confirmed the details of the 2025 Club Development Conference to take place at the Sam Kerr Football Centre in Queens Park on Saturday 8 February, running from 9am to 4pm.

This groundbreaking conference in WA is designed for everyone involved in grassroots football, including club administrators, coaches, referees, players, volunteers, and parents.

The event will feature numerous guest speakers and presenters from across the country, including representatives from Football Australia, SportWest, Monarch Leadership, Pride Cup, Helping Minds, and the Football Futures Foundation.

Football West General Manager Football, David Lewis, mentioned the great opportunities that will be involved at this event.

“The Club Development Conference is a great addition to the Football West calendar and a terrific opportunity for club representatives to gain new tools and to network with other key stakeholders ahead of the new season,” he said via press release.

Community Manager, Abid Imam, touched upon the insights on how it could progress your club.

“This will be our first club conference at Sam Kerr Football Centre so come along to this special opportunity where you can learn some great insights to progress your club, meet Football West staff and other club representatives in person, and kick off your season the best way possible,” he said via press release.

Some of the details included in the session are as follows:

Volunteers – Football Australia

Football Australia Manager of Member Services, Jamie Monteith, will share insights from his experience working with football clubs nationwide on effective strategies for recruiting, retaining, and recognising volunteers.

Participate in a Q&A session with other club representatives and gather valuable tips on supporting your volunteers.

Female Representation – Football Australia

Football Australia’s Women’s and Girls Coach Engagement Lead, Lizzie Ramsey, will discuss the significance of female representation, the value of creating female-only learning environments, and the impact of mentorship programs for women.

Effective Communication – Monarch Management

Founder of Monarch Management, Monica Beazley, delves into how communication shapes positive relationships among coaches, players, and parents.

Attendees will gain insight into how different communication styles affect motivation, understanding, and team dynamics, while exploring strategies to strengthen connections, minimise conflicts, and foster an inclusive, supportive sporting environment.

To register click here.

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Geelong Regional Football Hub vision one step closer to reality

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Image credit: Football Victoria

A process five years in the making, the Geelong Regional Football Hub (GRFH) will now build its home at Sutcliffe Reserve in Corio.

A major advancement

The project promises to be a major boost for the football community in Victoria’s west.

But the approval isn’t just about addressing the current issues facing players in and around Geelong (with just one football pitch found per 6,971 people), it symbolises an all-important promise to players, coaches and supporters:

A promise to invest, support and grow.

So now, following an extensive process of potential site assessments and council approvals, Football Victoria (FV) will prepare to lay the physical foundations at Sutcliffe Reserve in Corio – ten minutes away from Geelong CBD.

“This is a brilliant result for the sport in Victoria and the start of something truly exciting for football in Geelong and the surrounding area,” said FV CEO, Dan Birrell, via press release.

But despite the obvious anticipation over site approval, there remains one more bridge to cross to bring this project from blueprint to building block: securing funding.

 

What is the GRFH?

Beyond a mere community football centre, the GRFH will become a world-class hub for playing opportunities, development pathways and venue for several of FV’s most popular competitions.

The proposed site will include five pitches, of which two will boast seated stands, as well as two pavilions, social spaces, kitchen and bar areas, media spaces, and facilities for players and match officials.

Such extensive, thorough infrastructure will therefore ensure the site can host an array of competitions for players across the landscape to showcase their talent. From supporting everything from school competitions to NPL VIC Men’s and Women’s games, the GRFH will be a place for player growth, opportunity and community engagement with the beautiful game.

And as Geelong Mayor, Stretch Kontelj, highlighted, the current demand requires investment of this nature as soon as possible.

“With more than 7,370 registered players across the Geelong region, the scale of demand is undeniable. A regional football hub would be genuinely transformational,” Kontelj said via press release.

“It would drive participation across all genders, abilities and levels of the game, strengthen education and development pathways, attract major events and tournaments and deliver lasting social and economic benefits for Geelong and the broader region.

The demand is there. The support is unwavering.

All that remains is the financial backing to bring about real, tangible results for those driving this vision forward.

UEFA and Japanese FA commit to sustainability strategy until 2031

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Image credit: Vitalii Vitleo / Shutterstock.com

UEFA and the Japanese Football Association (JFA) agreed this week upon a new sustainability protocol agreement, aligning with both organisations’ long term goals.

An inter-continental partnership

Sustainability is an unavoidable, essential factor to consider as the beautiful game continues to grow across communities worldwide.

So when two governing bodies like UEFA and the JFA – who both already hold their own sustainability initiatives – agree to share, support and guide mutual growth, the implications are immensely promising.

“Sustainability in football must be clear, practical and action-oriented,” said UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin, via official press release.

“It is about protecting the environment, but also about people – their health, education and communities – and about using football’s reach to create lasting impact beyond the pitch.”

Furthermore, JFA President, Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, also highlighted the undeniable potential born from football’s global powe to bring about genuine, positive changes to the wider population.

“In the global football community today, how we address social issues – such as climate change, human rights, discrimination and safeguarding – has become a crucial theme.”

“In JFA’s growth strategy for 2026 to 2031, we have positioned sustainability as one of our three ‘beams’. Under our social programme, Asu-pass!, we are advancing initiatives centred on five key areas: planet, people, well-being, education and community,” Miyamoto continued.

 

The responsibility of all

With 250 million players in association football, and total fanbases encompassing 4-5 billion people, football truly is the world’s game.

But despite the pride behind this affectionate nickname, there must also be an awareness of the game’s resulting impact.

Because if football touches the lives of 5 billion people, the policies and plans in place must focus on sustaining, supporting and growing everyone.

UEFA’s Sustainability Strategy 2030 seeks to drive positive change through focusing on the sport’s wider impact, long-term investment and objectives, and working as a collective unit.

JFA’s Asu-pass! also builds on the JFA philosophy of enriching societies through the widespread love of football. Thus, by partnering with UEFA and creating a platform for sharing expertise and values, communities across both regions are set for a promising future.

“Together, through football, we want to contribute to a better society and a brighter future,” stated Miyamoto, underlining exactly what this alliance between UEFA and JFA is all about.

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