Talented young footballers from Wide Bay, Central Queensland, Mackay, North and Far North Queensland will be on show at regional Skill Acquisition Phase (SAP) and Talent Support Program (TSP) Carnivals on Saturday 3 April.
The inaugural Wide Bay-Central Queensland Carnival will be held at the Fraser Coast Sports Precinct in Hervey Bay, while the North Queensland Carnival will be played at 1300SMILES Active Park in Townsville.
“Football Queensland is excited to announce the return of regional SAP and TSP Carnivals in 2021,” said FQ CEO Robert Cavallucci.
“In FQ’s 2020-2022 Strategic Plan, we identified the need to provide high-quality participation experiences and develop pathways for young footballers across the state.
“These SAP and TSP events do exactly that, playing a critical role in the development of young players by providing them an opportunity to compete against their peers from other regions.
“FQ is working hard to ensure that Queensland footballers have equal access to elite programs and development opportunities, no matter where they live.”
FQ State Technical Director Gabor Ganczer said the carnivals are important stepping stones within Football Australia’s youth development system.
“These carnivals are excellent opportunities for players to test their skills and game understanding against the most committed and talented players from other regional centres,” said Ganczer.
“It is fantastic that Football Australia’s National Technical Director, Trevor Morgan, will attend the North Queensland Carnival to observe players from Cairns, Townsville and Mackay.
“Our footballers always take great pride in wearing the maroon colours, and with the return of national championships in 2021 these events will offer further opportunities for participants to earn selection for Queensland.
“For some, it may be the first step towards one day representing Australia in the green and gold of the Matildas or the Socceroos.”
The one-day carnivals will feature 65 games contested by boys and girls teams from the U9, U10, U11 and U12 SAP age groups and the U13/14, U14 and U15/16 TSP age groups.