Nepean Football Association celebrates new synthetic pitches

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The Nepean Football Association are elated following the construction of their first-ever synthetic fields in the area, thanks to Penrith City Council and the NSW Government.

Jamison Park is now the proud home of two synthetic rectangular football fields, which also incorporates a cricket wicket and an AFL field.

The $4 million project has delivered two full size FIFA Quality synthetic fields, featuring 100 lux smart technology LED floodlights for the Nepean FA.

The project was jointly funded by Penrith City Council and the NSW Government, through the Greater Sydney Sports Facility Fund and a contribution from the Nepean Football Association.

Jamison Park is the most used sporting facility in the Penrith City Council area, attracting approximately 300,000 visitors a year.

“Synthetic fields provide a raft of benefits to the community, including significantly higher usage tolerance, consistency, and quality of play and most applicable to football the ability to play in the rain or post significant rainfall,” Football NSW Manager – Government Relations, Funding and Infrastructure, Daniel Ristic said.

Nepean Football Association Chief Executive Officer Linda Cerone was full of praise to Penrith City Council and the NSW Government.

“Nepean Football Association and the residents of Penrith City Council now have a multi-use facility for everyone,” she said.

“On behalf of the Nepean FA Board and the 12,500 registered players thank you to Minister Ayres, the NSW State Government and Penrith City Council for making this project possible.

“Nepean FA has a venue that can be used play seven days a week regardless of the weather conditions.”

Jamison Park is now well on its way in becoming the Home of Football for the Nepean Football Association.

The upgrade at Jamison Park forms part of the NSW Football Infrastructure Strategy, specifically the key pillars of Improving Existing Venue Capacity, Homes of Football and Planning for Growth and Demand.

In the next 10 years, the Penrith LGA is expected to see an additional 61,000 residents. The potential market for new participants (if the current 3.8% state average participation rate is applied) will see an additional 2,300 participants in Penrith.

The introduction of the inaugural synthetic fields in Penrith will capture the predicted growth in the area.

This growth is further highlighted by the number of registered players in the Nepean FA over the last three years. Despite two affected years due to COVID-19, the association has seen a growth of 12% – an additional 1,400 participants in just three years.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is now just 18 months away, where the best female football athletes will be plying their craft in our backyard. The World Cup will no doubt bring further interest in the world game and an increase in female participants across NSW.

Jamison Park will be used for football competition in the summer months, with the site being used by the Nepean FA in the winter season for training, competition games, coaching, referees’ courses, plus more.

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Football Victoria Backs Campaign to Shield Junior Players from Gambling Harm

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More than 600 sporting clubs across Victoria have enrolled in a state government program designed to limit young players’ exposure to gambling, with Football Victoria now urging its community clubs to join before a late-July registration deadline.

The Love the Game initiative asks clubs to formally commit to a set of principles: refusing sports betting sponsorships, developing internal harm prevention policies, and building environments where coaches, parents and players are equipped to discuss gambling risks with children.

The program’s public health rationale has a sharper statistical edge than its community-facing materials suggest. A 2025 study of Victorian secondary school students aged 12 to 17 found that nearly 30% had gambled at some point, and among those who had gambled in the past year, 7.5% met the criteria for problem-gambling and a further 26.8% were classified as ‘at-risk’. The research, commissioned by the state government and published earlier this year, also found that students exposed to gambling venues and advertising were more likely to gamble or to do so in a risky manner.

The most recent Victorian Population Gambling Study found that Victorians aged 18 to 24 are the group least likely to gamble overall, yet carry the highest rates of harmful gambling across all age groups. Young people aged 18 to 34 are around five times more likely to bet on sports than older cohorts.

When the data lands at the clubhouse door

Football Victoria’s support for the program reflects a broader recognition within community sport that participation rates and club culture are connected. The environments clubs create shape whether young people stay in sport and what norms they carry with them into adulthood. For football specifically, which draws participants across a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds, that responsibility is not evenly distributed. Approximately 440,000 Victorians, or 8.5 per cent of the state’s population, are classified as being at some risk of experiencing problem gambling.

The Victorian Government’s program gives clubs more than symbolic membership. Registered clubs receive practical tools to develop governance frameworks around gambling harm, resources for coaching staff and volunteers, and standing as part of a growing network of clubs taking a formal position on the issue.

Researchers have described the current framing of gambling harm as a matter of personal responsibility as inadequate, arguing it is a public health issue requiring a systemic response. Community football clubs, with their reach into households across the state, are one of the institutional levers available to make that response visible.

Melbourne Victory driving strong partnerships with BYD

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The innovative vehicle manufacturer will join the Victory family as a Major Partner and Exclusive Motor Vehicle Supplier in a 12-month deal.

 

Elite performance, accessible for all

The alliance between Melbourne Victory and BYD reflects both parties’ commitment to progress, efficiency and high performance. It brings together two organisations who share vision and values, two fundamental aspects of any successful partnership.

On one hand is a rapidly growing and community-connected manufacturing company with over 100 sites, intent on providing reliable vehicles to Australian families. On the other, a successful club in the heart of Melbourne, with ambitions to progress on the pitch while regularly engaging with the community.

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, commented on the strong foundations of the partnership with BYD.

“Founded only a decade apart, there is a shared history of, and ambition for, continued accelerated growth between Melbourne Victory and BYD.”

“Not only is there a clear alignment of our vision and values to lead, unite, connect and inspire, but a mutual commitment to creating a better future for our communities.”

 

Delivering for the community

As part of the partnership, BYD’s branding will feature on Victory’s home and away jerseys, as well as across the Academy, media and Community assets.

Moreover, the agreement comes as a response from Victory to members and fans’ wishes for not just any vehicle partner, but one which is appropriate and coherent to their day-to-day lives. And as BYD Australia Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Collins, explained, the new energy vehicle manufacturer is driving far more than just passengers.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Melbourne Victory, a club that shares our relentless drive for performance and innovation,” expressed Collins.

“As the exclusive vehicle supplier, we’re not just providing new energy mobility; we’re supporting the team’s journey towards a more sustainable future.”

New energy, new partner and new ambitions for Melbourne Victory, who will compete on the international stage next season in the AFC Champions League Two.

And with a partner like BYD to back them, players and fans in the Victory family will be hoping it is the start of a journey to success.

 

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