Pararoos Head Coach Kai Lammert: “We want to leave the place better than when we found it”

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Kai Lammert

Australia’s Paralympic National Football Team, AKA the Pararoos, are Australia’s only male representative national football team for athletes with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury or symptoms acquired from stroke.

Alongside the recently launched ParaMatildas national team, the Pararoos compete in a modified 7-a-side format. Matches consist of two halves of 30 minutes each – there is no offside rule, throw-ins may be made with just one hand, and the field’s dimensions are reduced.

Currently, the Pararoos are ranked 10th in the International Federation of CP Football’s (IFCPF’s) World Rankings and are due to take on a USA side ranked equal fourth at Manly’s Cromer Park on February 4, their first home international since 2019.

Speaking with Soccerscene ahead of a significant 2023 for the Pararoos, Head Coach Kai Lammert discussed how the team has progressed since his start in the role from 2015, what the next steps are for the side, and the legacy the team is looking to leave for future generations of the Pararoos.

Kai

What does your role with the Pararoos involve on a day-to-day basis?

Kai Lammert: We all currently have other jobs besides the Pararoos. It’s a big commitment for all staff and players, but we all have a true passion for the players and the program. Besides the tactical, technical, physical, and mental preparation of the team, I have sponsorship commitments and media commitments, planning, and lots of video analysis of our own and the opposition team as well as going through player injury and fitness reports. All of this is a huge team effort and I am lucky to have the best staff any Head Coach could wish for. The most important work is the player wellbeing though. All our staff work around the clock to make sure the players can perform at their best in the Pararoos shirt and in their private life.

Currently, we are preparing for the upcoming home games against the United States, so it’s a big job but again I couldn’t do it without a super team behind the Pararoos.

How has it been for you seeing the team evolve and grow since you became head coach in 2015?

Kai Lammert: It’s the most exciting thing for me as a coach to see the players progress on and off the field. What stands out is that it’s a professional setup, but most players have a full-time job to support themselves and their family. In order for us to break in the top four, the players need to be able to devote the full day to the Pararoos similar to the top teams in CP Football at the moment. We’ve been able to add things to the program without it being overwhelming, and there were already a lot of things in place when I started that we’ve just carefully built upon.

As I said, the players have jobs as well and their individual programs need to be catered for their needs. We have school students on our team who probably have a bit more time and players who are married with two or three kids and that time is a very precious thing.

The Pararoos recently raised $80,000 to support their program going forward. How has that financial support helped the team over the past year?

Kai Lammert: It had a great impact – it got us to Spain for the World Cup so that is a start, and then it got us prepared for that tournament because we don’t want to go to a tournament just to make up the numbers. We want to go to a tournament to progress and be better. Currently the top 6-8 nations have got a financial advantage on us, and we want to close the gap. Every dollar that is raised helps because it costs $30,000 to get the team together for a camp; that’s a lot of money. Some of my counterparts in Europe can do 4-6 camps with that sort of money because they don’t have to fly everyone in.

So predominantly that money goes to preparation and getting us there, and the more we raise the more we can do.

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What facilities and infrastructure upgrades are needed to help take the Pararoos program to the next level?

Kai Lammert: I think a home of the Pararoos would be something significant. Obviously, that would need to be a top-standard, purpose-built place. Full-time players and full-time staff would allow us to devote more time to the game and improve the team overtime. We are very creative with our time and try to use every minute in and out of camp as effective as possible.

Play more games; we need to have more games. Obviously with a pandemic we had a long time without a game, and we’ve identified the need to play more international games, but everywhere we go we must fly. There’ve been some fantastic improvements, particularly now that the naming rights sponsorship has gone to Commonwealth Bank which is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time.

Our fundraising team led by Katrina Hicks is doing an awesome job and the support from the whole FA team has been fantastic.

It’s obviously a significant time for Australian football with the Socceroos and Pararoos having been to World Cups in 2022, and the Matildas set to co-host a World Cup this year. How are you feeling presently about where Australian football is at?

Kai Lammert: All this excitement around Australian football is great. That’s what we need, we need to have Australian football on the map. This is the buzz we need as we compete against the rugby’s and AFLs of the world in Australia. I heard the ticket sales are going crazy for the Women’s World Cup, so these are the sort of things we need. With that, our game (CP Football) will get more recognition and those who go to a game or tune in will appreciate the game because it’s an exciting game to watch. At the end of the day these guys are doing the same hours as the Socceroos and the Matildas, but they’re doing another job or Uni on top of it.

What are the next steps for the Pararoos?

Kai Lammert: For us we’ve got the home game against the USA in February, which is exciting because now the USA is still 5-6 goals away from us and we want to close that margin. That’s our main goal, to get closer to them. I felt over the years that we did get closer but it’s obviously we want to be really competing.

And then we will fine tune the way we play in two more camps. And then hopefully we’ve secured the Asian Cup in our country in November. That would be a great way to finish 2023.

What legacy do you hope to leave during your tenure with the Pararoos?

Kai Lammert: ‘Legacy’ is very important for us, that’s one of our core values of the team. We want to leave the place better than when we found it and want to make sure we keep raising our standards. That’s certainly one of mine, but when I say what legacy, I want to leave I have to say what legacy we want to leave, we are a team, and this team can achieve big things on and off the field and they can have a huge impact on generations of young boys and girls living with a disability. The program did and will continue to change lives.

Personally, I believe that every person with a disability should have the same opportunities as everyone else. We want to be named alongside the Matildas and Socceroos because the current and former Pararoos and ParaMatildas deserve exactly that.

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Next CEO of Football Australia steps into the hot seat

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Whoever the new Football Australia CEO is. They will face tough challenges.
Image Credit: Pxhere

Last Thursday James Johnson announced his resignation as CEO of Football Australia (FA) after five and a half years at the helm.

James Johnson over his tenure has presented over much activity in Australian football.

He’s overseen Australia’s co-hosting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with New Zealand.

This event produced a record influx of girls and women to all levels of the game and highlighted that the current footballing system didn’t have the capabilities to sustain this increase.

He was partied to the A-Leagues break from the FA into the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

Only recently he was instrumental in the FA’s creation of the National Second Division (NSD) to develop the footballing pyramid.

Many of these initiatives had and continue to have a significant impact.

Yet the complexity and work for these undertakings continue.

Though who is going to be the successor?

Heather Garriock, ex Matilda, has been confirmed as Interim CEO.

She has had experience in this type of role serving as CEO of Australian Taekwondo and as a director on the FA Board since 2021.

Garriock currently serves on the Asian Football Confederation’s Technical Committee and is an exciting fit.

Other than Garriock’s appointment, very little has been spoken on the position.

State Federation CEOs such as Football NSW’s John Tsatsimas and Football Queensland’s Robert Cavallucci are well regarded in the industry.

Would taking them away from their state positions a wise plan or are they even keen to take this huge role anyway?

Maybe from outside the footballing space a CEO of business experience could be valuable.

That being said, caution of people with little ‘football knowledge’ should not be taken lightly.

Football fans know all too well the divisiveness of CEO’s who don’t understand the complexities of the game can be.

What challenges are ahead?

For whoever claims the top spot, they and the FA already face some important hurdles.

First and foremost, they will have to preside over the upcoming start of the NSD in October this year.

A huge occasion in the story of Australian Football and a competition that many clubs, fans and communities are banking on to be a success.

If successful, not only will it bring back into the limelight storied clubs, who’s history have woven the rich tapestry of Australian football, but it’ll open the pathway to a new and improved Australian footballing pyramid, giving clubs the following and support they need to grow and develop.

Things such as funding opportunities, more mainstream media audiences and the chance to stamp their mark into the footballing nucleus.

Though with great expectation comes more chance for disappointment.

The current system for the NSD can be argued to be sufficient, but like all great shifts in football it needs to grow, to expand and importantly to deliver on its goal of a more streamline pyramid.

This push will face funding and support challenges and the NSD, the clubs and the FA will struggle if this new chapter is stagnant.

Which brings us to the next challenge.

The A-League and APL

The A-league is producing an amazing new generation of players for Australia, with increased viewership, fan presence and transfer revenue from home grown talent its producing a record season.

However, under the surface the A-League has struggled since its break from the FA into the APL.

The funding and its recent overhaul paint a bleak picture for the clubs.

On top of this the prospect of future relegation would worry any figures of the clubs, from investors to the club’s lifeblood’s, the academies and fanbases.

Whoever takes up the new role must walk the uncomfortable tight rope of supporting the extensive and growing football scene while not ignoring our highest professional level.

The Women’s Game

The 2026 Women’s Asian Cup is just around the corner, providing an exciting opportunity to further elevate Australia’s women’s football journey and continue its impressive momentum.

On-field and tournament success are only the tip of the iceberg as the continuation of the game’s development is critical.

The positives of this progression far out way the negatives but the FA and its incoming CEO must make smart and well-constructed plans to keep the progress going.

Funding

James Johnson and the FA recently hatched together a plan for $3 Billion worth of Funding from the Government.

Funding through Government sporting grants is the backbone of football, especially the grassroots system, the highest participated sport community in Australia.

Before leaving James Johnson, the FA and the extensive member federations presented their Securing Footballing Future initiative before the 2025 Federal Election decided our new government.

This document 23 major points, spanning all levels of the game outlines where and how this funding should be allocated over 10 years.

Securing Footballing Future is bold and focuses on key aspects that have been present issues for football.

The new CEO should make sure that this initiative is a crucial deal to ratify with the government to stabilise funding for years to come.

The federal governments $200 million “Play Our Way” grants program in 2023 was created in the euphoria of the Women’s World Cup.

Though not centrally football focused and far smaller amount of funding, it’s proof that government funding can be acquired and allocated.

As the Sydney Morning Herald reported this week, the FA will record $8.3 million loss at the next general meeting on May 23, funding will become a fundamental issue.

Now more than ever the FA is calling for Garriock and its next potential CEO to be ambitious, show strong leadership and be open to taking calculated risks.

It’s a monumental task ahead, but for the passionate and invested football fans around Australia, they know that optimism for the future while simultaneously being grounded in the present is part of the beautiful game.

As the saying goes, ‘one game at a time’.

Whoever is appointed as Football Australia CEO, whether Garriock or another candidate, should seize the opportunity and lead with purpose.

The Rise of Female Football Participation: Female Football Week

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Image Credit: Football Australia Website

For decades, women in Victoria were prohibited from participating in organised football, thereby being pushed aside as the men’s game dominated the field. The tide, however, has turned. What was previously a sport confined to half of the population is being changed by girls lacing up their boots and women leading from the front.

Over 21,000 women and girls started playing football in 2024, fuelled by the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ and the Matildas’ semi-final success. Football, with over 221,000 female players registered countrywide, is not only Australia’s most popular team sport, but also one of its fastest growing.

This past week, Female Football Week 2025 (FFW) highlighted the movement that is restructuring the game. The nationwide initiative, which runs from May 2 to 11, is more than a celebration. It is a catalyst for sustained change.

A Nationwide Celebration with Local Impact

Organised by Football Australia in collaboration with member federations and clubs, FFW 2025 includes leadership panels, grassroots clinics, gala days, and coaching masterclasses to empower women at all levels of the sport.

Football Queensland’s Senior Manager – Game Development, Kate Lawson, anticipated an action-packed agenda that would capture the imaginations of both returning and new competitors.

“There are going to be more eyes on football in Australia than ever before. The increased representation of women in our game has everyone buzzing this year, which is why this Female Football Week is set to be the biggest and most exciting yet,” she said via press release.

Across the country, similar initiatives are igniting change. Football Queensland presented the FFW Awards to recognise local women’s football legends, while Football Victoria continued its all-female commentary round in the NPLW, bringing women’s voices to the forefront of the game.

At the grassroots level, activities such as The Gap FC’s Mother’s Day celebration and FFW gala in Brisbane highlight the important role that families play in developing the next generation of players.

Behind the Data: Real Growth, Real Stories

The statistics tell one story. Football participation across Australia has increased 11% to 1.91 million participants by 2024, with female participation up 16%. Queensland alone had a 44% increase in women and girls playing the game throughout its ten regions. Female involvement in Football NSW increased by 17% throughout the winter season.

However, behind these numbers are the individuals who are transforming the game.

The increase in female football involvement is more than just a statistic; it’s a tapestry of personal experiences that illustrate the movement’s depth and variety.

In the ACT, Tina McLeary serves as secretary of Brindabella Blues FC, a club with approximately 1,000 members. Her football adventure began with her children, but she rapidly became a significant driver of change, taking on management duties and guiding inclusive club strategy.

“We were able to get the boys there and show that these 10 and 11-year-old boys don’t care, there’s no gender relationship there. They just want to be a part of this. They just want to go kick the ball and see the game,” she shared, reflecting on the shifting culture in football.

In Western Sydney, Katelyn Smith is making her mark with CommBank ParaMatildas. After health issues halted her early football dreams, she discovered her calling with CP Football. Katelyn, a Golden Glove winner and national team striker, is not only scoring goals but also coaching the next generation of footballers with disabilities, demonstrating what is possible.

Women are also excelling in roles off the pitch. Jessica Jensen (Football QLD), Daphne Gounaris (Football Victoria), and Alana Zic (Football NSW) are three female referees breaking down boundaries in refereeing. Refereeing for the women allows them to improve themselves, connect with others, and lead with integrity and confidence.

In Tasmania, Jess Woodroffe of Launceston City FC has contributed to shaping her club’s infrastructure and culture. The club has recently added gender-friendly changing rooms, in addition to increasing the number of female board members and players, primarily from their campaigning and inclusive community forums.

Challenges Ahead—and a Bold Vision for the Future

Despite the momentum, obstacles remain. Numerous clubs are operating above their capacity, putting a strain on coaching resources, infrastructure, and equipment. As more girls get involved with the sport, retention becomes crucial, especially throughout adolescence, when many abandon it due to a lack of clear paths or mentors.

Football Australia has set an ambitious goal: gender parity in community football by 2027.

Interim CEO of Football Australia, Heather Garriock, believes Female Football Week 2025 has highlighted just how vital women’s football has become.

“Female Football Week 2025 has underscored the critical importance of women’s football to the future of our game. The growth we’re seeing at every level, from grassroots to the elite, is not only remarkable, but also reshaping the landscape of Australian sport,” she said via press release.

Conclusion: From Moment to Movement

FFW 2025 is about more than simply celebrating progress—it’s about maintaining it. Women’s football is no longer an afterthought, through community-led events, national investment, and strong representation.

It’s at the centre of the conversation.

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