[Image: Melanie Coleman]
Football Federation Australia (FFA) has launched a new Women’s Football Development Guide to help community clubs promote women’s football and nurture the next generation of female players.
The Guide contains examples of strategies, initiatives and real life situations to assist clubs in developing programs aimed at servicing and growing the women’s game.
Over 300 female football stakeholders completed a national survey, providing valuable content and advice on female engagement, which formed the basis of this comprehensive guide.
Focus groups with experts from different backgrounds including playing, coaching, refereeing and administration were also conducted to elicit valuable information.
FFA CEO David Gallop pointed to the Women’s Football Development Guide as evidence that FFA’s long term strategies were being implemented.
“Our objective is to continually grow the female participation base until we see an even split between male and female players,” said Gallop.
“The new Guide provides advice and strategies for Australia’s community clubs on recruiting and retaining female participants, coaches, administrators and officials.
“It’s a very good step towards bringing our strategy to life.”
The Guide was launched in conjunction with Federal Sports Minister Sussan Ley’s announcement that Westfield Matildas would share $330,000 in athlete support payments from latest round of Federal Government grants.
Westfield Matildas players are currently at the first of five AIS-based training camps ahead of the Rio Games and were joined by Ley, Gallop and Australian Sports Commission CEO Simon Hollingsworth to officially kick-off preparations.
“It has been incredible to watch the rapid rise of the Matildas up world rankings over the past 12 months, but as the Sports and Health Minister it has been equally pleasing to see the soaring growth in female football participation at all levels,” Minister Ley said.
“The Australian Government is committed to increasing female sports participation at all levels and it’s tremendous to see female football flourishing from our young MiniRoos through to our elite Matildas.”
Great to have some special guests launch our #Rio2016 preparations this morning at #AIS https://t.co/fgdQj30ue4 pic.twitter.com/Y7J2IQid2K
— Westfield Matildas (@TheMatildas) May 2, 2016
Gallop thanked Minister Ley for the funding from the Australian Sports Commission to hold five pre-Olympic camps at the AIS.
“Alen Stajcic and the Matildas players are going to Rio with a firm target to win a medal,” Gallop said.
“The funding enables the Matildas to use the world-class facilities at the AIS to give the squad a very solid preparation.”
