327 players from around Queensland met on the Gold Coast over the weekend for Football Queensland’s Talent Support Program (TSP) Boys and Girls State Carnival.
The event on Saturday, 21 November and Sunday, 22 November welcomed teams from North and Far North Queensland, Central Queensland, Mackay and South East Queensland alongside the Brisbane Roar Boys and the QAS Girls Academy.
Former Socceroo and two-time World Cup veteran Jason Culina and Sue Monteith, one of the two Queenslanders who played for the first ever Matildas side, were also present to watch the matches across the two-day event.
“It was fantastic to see some of the state’s best young male and female footballers all come together for the TSP Boys and Girls State Carnival held over the weekend,” State Technical Director Gabor Ganczer said.
“We were excited to be able to welcome our Talent Support Program players and coaches from around the state for the tournament, which was a fantastic showcase of talent, teamwork and enthusiasm both on and off the field.
“Large TSP events like this one are extremely beneficial for junior player development and provide valuable opportunities for young footballers to gain experience playing against their peers from both regional and South East Queensland.
“These sorts of events also provide talent identification opportunities for players from across Queensland as state and national team coaches are in attendance across the year. This is why it was so important for Football Queensland to be able to deliver events for TSP and SAP players this year despite the challenges presented by COVID-19.
“We were able to do this by putting in place a range of COVID Safe measures across each event including QR code attendance tracking measures, social distancing requirements and regular sanitisation of equipment such as match balls.
“The TSP Boys and Girls State Carnival held over the weekend was a fantastic way to bring the 2020 TSP and SAP event calendar to a close, and we look forward to delivering similar events in Queensland next year.
“I’d like to say a special thank you to Legends FC, Musgrave Mustangs Soccer Club, Football Gold Coast and the Gold Coast Performance Centre for their hospitality as they hosted the TSP Boys and Girls State Carnival.
“A big thank you also to all players, coaches, referees and families who have supported Football Queensland’s TSP and SAP programs and events in 2020. We hope you’ve all enjoyed your experiences this year and we look forward to seeing you all again in 2021.”
FQ’s Lead Club Development Ambassador Tom Laxton also thanked the staff, coaches, players, parents and venues for supporting the TSP Boys and Girls State Carnival.
“For the metro players, this event wrapped up a season of six sessions, two TSP carnivals and three elite games. These sessions and playing opportunities had a new emphasis on individual development and were facilitated by a brilliant team of lead coaches and support coaches.
“The event was very well organised which is credit to our operations teams across the state; we are lucky to have such dedicated people who could help deliver this event when many other states would be unable to.
“So far, 10 players within the metro program and two players from regional Queensland have been signed to Hyundai A-League Academies.
“The overall standard of delivery in Far North Queensland, Central Queensland and North Queensland has been great and I am sure that the players and parents from these zones would heap praise upon the coaching staff and operational support in their area.
“The TSP Boys and Girls State Carnival saw us deliver over 60 games at the Gold Coast Performance Centre, Musgrave Mustangs Soccer Club and Legends FC. We thank these clubs, venues and Football Queensland Gold Coast for their support of this event.
“We look forward to now planning an even better program for our TSP boys and girls in 2021, where we can focus on the delivery of an even higher standard of player development.”
