Northern NSW Football kick-off Women in Football Scholarship Program

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Northern NSW Football has launched its Women in Football Scholarship Program in an effort to help break down barriers for females in football and to increase representation of women and girls in football.

The scholarship, part of the NSW Football Legacy Program, will upskill women in non-playing roles and enhance female voices within the football community.

Female match officials, coaches and club administrators will have access to education and development opportunities as part of the program. It will include referee, coach and volunteer education and development.

The referee education and development will include all-female level three and four referee courses, all-female level three assessor courses, a regional match official development program and match official camp scholarships.

The coach education and development will include all-female skill training certificate, MiniRoos certificate and Football Australia C Licence courses. There will also be individual scholarships for FA/AFC B licence and Sport NSW Fast Track for Female Coaches workshops.

The volunteer education and development will feature a partnership between NNSWF and Online Services Australia to provide a range of web-based courses to club volunteers free of charge.

“The Women in Football Scholarship Program is a really great chance for women and girls in football to access education and opportunities,” NNSWF Legacy Plan Manager Annelise Rosnell said in a statement.

“We want to see more female coaches, match officials and club administrators in the game and this scholarship program will certainly help facilitate that outcome.

“I would definitely encourage anyone interested to look into these courses and workshops to see how they could enhance their career in football.”

The NSW Football Legacy Program is a $10 million investment from the NSW government to support female football through the construction of new community facilities, participation initiatives, high performance, leadership and development programs as well as tourism and international engagement.

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Manchester City Begins Work on New Women’s Training Facility

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Manchester City is in the development stage of building the Manchester City Women’s team a new purpose-built training facility at the City Football Academy, known as the club’s training centre.

The project, valued at up to $20.5 million, is set to open next season and marks the latest chapter in the club’s ongoing investment in top-tier facilities for the team.

Once completed, the facility will include a hydrotherapy area, a high-performance gym, and a circular dressing room designed to enhance player development.

In addition to their purpose-built facility, the Women’s First Team will continue to benefit from being an integral part of the $409 million City Football Academy, allowing them to utilise the organisation’s extensive resources and expertise.

To mark the beginning of construction, club captain Alex Greenwood was joined by Managing Director Charlotte O’Neill, Director of Football Therese Sjögran, and Director of Performance Services Emma Deakin for the official groundbreaking ceremony.

Club Captain Alex Greenwood reflects on the current facilities at the club and her excitement for the new development that is on the rise.

“Right from the start we’ve been involved quite a lot so we could discuss what’s going to be in there and what’s necessary. From what I know the facilities are going to be the best, which is nothing short of what I expect. I’m excited to see how it’s going to look,” she said via press release.

The facility has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of the team, with extensive consultation undertaken during the planning phase, including input from First Team Multi-Disciplinary experts and members of the playing squad.

The 17,000-square-foot building has also been designed with future expansion in mind as the team continues to grow.

Managing Director at Manchester City Women Charlotte O’Neill commented on the new facility and the beginning of its construction.

“Over the past decade, the team has benefited from being a part of the high-performance environment here, working with some of the very coaches, practitioners and support staff, as well as accessing some of the best facilities,” she said via press release.

“But the time feels right for the team to move into our own purpose-built home, and we think we’ve designed something really special that will help us in our efforts to consistently challenge for major titles.”

The new facility reaffirms Manchester City’s commitment to women’s football, aiming for success and growth through providing an environment to support the team’s future ambitions.

AFC Youth Panel discusses future of player development in Asia

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Representatives of the Asian Football Confederation met online on Thursday for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Youth Panel. Through the virtual event, Member Association’s (MAs) shared their experiences of their youth systems for the 2024-25 term.

The panel was hosted with a key focus on identifying how to improve the developmental programmes of the 16–19-year-old age group. The meeting discussed ways to not just improve technical skill but also strengthen the mental resilience of players and increase the number of competitive matches they are playing.

 AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh explained why the confederation was focusing on the 16-19 age group.
“This age group is a formative stage where we are dealing with players in national youth teams and it’s a crucial stepping stone for talented youngsters who are at the threshold of pursuing the sport professionally,” he said via press release.
“We must be able to help them master techniques under pressure and develop a winning mentality, so it is imperative to provide them with expert guidance.”
Through the panel representatives also explored conversations on the need to properly prepare coaches for training developing professional youth by providing them with the skills and knowledge required to excel.
Additionally, the meeting presented updates on several high-profile AFC developmental programmes for participants. In particular, the panel highlighted the Triple-A Project, a programme designed to provide tailored support to MAs via continual summits, and the AFC’s ongoing research partnership with the University of Tsukuba, which aims to study elite youth systems across Asia.
To finalise the session, participants were informed of the AFC’s other technical programmes, especially the recent publication of the AFC Elite Youth Bulletin. The Bulletin presents a major step forward for youth development within the Confederation, as it stands as a handbook for MAs to use, highlighting the best initiatives and programmes other MAs across Asia have used to great effect.

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