Indigenous Football Week to help aspiring coaches

Liam Watson

The Moriarty Foundation is currently holding the annual Indigenous Football Week, which began on November 2nd and concludes on November 10th.

The fourth edition in 2019 is themed “Ground up – developing Indigenous coaches” and is an initiative to help all the aspiring coaches out there.

John Moriarty is the key member of the foundation that is partnered with Football Federation Australia (FFA), Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), SBS, NITV, and FOX Sports.

Moriarty was the first Indigenous footballer to be capped for Australia and spoke about the importance of the week.

“Indigenous Football Week  provides a perfect opportunity for the football community to come together to promote the importance of holistic training, including health, nutrition, and wellbeing; arming our coaches with knowledge and knowhow that they can apply daily back in our communities,” he said.

With assistance from the Morrison Government, John Moriarty Football has been allocated funding to go towards expanding the Northern Territory pilot which reaches out to multiple communities across New South Wales and Queensland over the next three years.

The expansion started in both states in July and the aim of this year’s Indigenous Football Week is to mentor and upskill local community coaches during specialised coaching sessions in Sydney.

It will be a joint collaboration with Football NSW and FFA and features contributions from Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners.

International sports psychologist Dr. Noel Blundell will support the Moriarty Foundation during the week and will host a program related to the key emotional intensity levels of players. He has worked closely with 23 World and Olympic Champions to maximise their talents, across his 30-year career.

“It is exciting to be a part of Indigenous Football Week, to assist the Moriarty Foundation coaches so that they may pass on these vital skills to their teams and communities,” he said.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) Chief Executive David Gallop also spoke as one of the major partners for John Moriarty Football.

“FFA has been a supporter of John Moriarty Football for several years now and are thrilled to once again be involved in the JMF Indigenous Football Week. This week is a showcase of the positive work done throughout the year in creating awareness and opportunities for indigenous footballers, coaches and administrators across the country.”

The launch of Indigenous Football Week will be formerly celebrated at Valentine Sports Park in Sydney on Tuesday, November 5th.

Image source and more information can be found here: https://www.ffa.com.au/news/indigenous-football-week-kicks

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FQ Reinstates WinterFest 2026 at the Sunshine Coast

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Image Credit: Football Queensland

Football Queensland (FQ) has confirmed WinterFest, the state’s premier junior football carnival, will return to the Sunshine Coast from 1 to 5 July 2026; this time at a new home in the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC).

Delivered in partnership with Sunshine Coast Council and Visit Sunshine Coast, the five-day carnival will span USC and Sunshine Coast Wanderers FC, hosting Under 9 to Under 11 Boys and Under 11 Girls teams from every corner of the state.

WinterFest is not simply a competition. Within FQ’s development framework, the carnival serves a dual function, to expose elite junior players to FQ Technical staff, whilst providing emerging referees with live matchday experience under the guidance of senior officials.

“The carnival plays an important role in nurturing not only our most promising young players, who can showcase their abilities in front of FQ Technical staff who continue to monitor their ongoing development, but also our cohort of emerging referees from across Queensland,” said Ryan Fett, FQ General Manager- Football, Infrastructure & Club Development.

The shift to USC is deliberate. FQ has signalled an intention to elevate the event experience year-on-year, and a university campus venue, with its infrastructure and capacity, reflects that ambition more than a traditional football ground would.

Beyond the Pitch

The tournament’s footprint, however, extends well beyond the pitch. With thousands of visiting families descending on the region across five days, WinterFest functions as a significant economic activation for the Sunshine Coast during what is otherwise a quieter winter period.

“WinterFest brings enormous energy to the region, the USC and Buderim fields will be buzzing and the talent on show outstanding,” said Sunshine Coast Resilient Economy Portfolio Councillor Terry Landsberg.

The language- “Resilient Economy”- is worth noting. Landsberg’s portfolio title alone signals how local government now frames junior sport: not as community goodwill, but as economic infrastructure.

His reference to Brisbane 2032 made that explicit. “As we move closer to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, these experiences are invaluable for aspiring athletes and equally important for boosting local tourism and supporting our businesses during the winter period.”

Whether a regional Under 11 carnival genuinely feeds an Olympic pipeline is debatable. What isn’t is that the political incentive to frame it that way, with 2032 drawing every level of government into the orbit of sport, is very real.

Football NSW partners with Deploy for Association Championships

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Image credit: Deploy Football

In an announcement released on Thursday this week, Football NSW revealed Deploy as the Naming Rights Partner of the Football NSW Association Championships.

New competition, new talents

The Association Championships, set to take place in July 2026 at Glen Willow Regional Sports Complex in Mudgee, will replace the former Association Youth League.

Although the tournament has changed name, its purpose remains consistent: giving youth players the platform to showcase their talent on the football pitch.

In a display of unity and collective ambition, 18 Associations across New South Wales will enter representative teams, each one featuring gifted grassroots players looking to prove themselves against their peers.

“The Deploy FNSW Association Championships will provide a fantastic platform for our Associations to come together and celebrate the best of elite community football,” said Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas via official press release.

“This tournament is all about giving young players, coaches, and referees from every corner of the state a chance to shine and develop in a competitive, supportive environment.”

The partnership between Deploy and Football NSW, therefore, is not merely about a name alteration. It is a collaboration which presents future grassroots talents with a platform and opportunity to compete.

 

Built on shared values

No partnership can succeed without both parties sharing a common goal or set of values. In this case, the alliance between Football NSW and Deploy is built on a commitment to supporting grassroots football and supplying players with quality resources and experiences to showcase their talent.

“Deploy is proud to partner with Football NSW as the Naming Rights Partner of the Association Championships. Community sport plays a vital role in bringing people together and building future leaders, both on and off the field,” explained Chief Commercial Officer at Deploy, Kurt Johnson.

“As long-time partners with Football NSW, this aligns perfectly with our strategy of creating balls designed for each age and skill level of the game, ranging from junior training balls to professional match balls perfect for the competitive environment like the Association Championships.”

Furthermore, with hundreds of participants including players, referees, coaches and supporters due to attend the tournament, the partnership’s impact will extend right across the state of New South Wales.

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