Football Queensland (FQ) CEO Robert Cavallucci and State Technical Director Gabor Ganczer met yesterday with Wide Bay Buccaneers players and families in Bundaberg to discuss junior player development in the region.
In a productive meeting, FQ outlined a commitment for increased investment into an integrated pathway for players in Wide Bay in line with Football Federation Australia (FFA)’s nationwide model for junior player development.
FQ’s investment in the Wide Bay region will deliver stronger and more sustainable junior development pathways for boys and girls through the introduction of a Talent Support Program (TSP), FFA’s approved national junior development model for regional areas in Australia.
The introduction of a TSP program will further benefit the Wide Bay football community by removing the need for regular travel commitments for families, while creating a new pathway for girls to support the state and national agenda for growth in female participation.
FQ’s additional investment into the Skill Acquisition Phase (SAP) program and TSP in Wide Bay will provide both male and female junior players with an additional part-time training program in addition to club training, as well as access to state-wide events including elite matches and Quad Series tournaments.
While providing young players in Wide Bay with the opportunity to come up against the best players from across Queensland in tournaments throughout the year, the TSP and SAP program also form FQ’s talent pathway to selection in state representative teams and national team programs.
FQ is confident the new junior development model will provide significant benefits for young players across the Wide Bay region, while delivering sustainable pathways for both boys and girls.