Upfield Soccer Club is the recipient of a grant to grow football in Australia.
Football Australia and CommBank joined forces to hand out 121 grants to clubs across the country to support and empower women and girls football.
Across all the grants, a number of improvements and initiatives will be implemented, including promoting body confidence through the removal of white playing shorts, and investing in development of coaches.
For Upfield, they will benefit from the grant allowing for subsidised fees.
Upfield Soccer Club president Wally Hanna shared his gratitude for the funding that will assist 50 young women from refugee backgrounds through a fee subsidy for new players.
“This funding will support local families in relieving financial hardship and also help young refugee arrivals feel connected to their community, which is vital during the early stages of their settlement,” he said.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said he was proud to be able to help the game grow at every level.
“The Growing Football Fund Community Grants represent a significant step forward in our efforts to make football the most inclusive and accessible sport in Australia,” he said.
“By supporting clubs and associations at the grassroots level, we are laying the foundation for a brighter future for women’s football in our country.”
Head of Women’s Football, World Cup Legacy, and Inclusion at Football Australia Sarah Walsh said she is ”delighted to recognise the outstanding efforts of our grant recipients in championing initiatives to drive the attraction and retention of women and girls in football.
“Their innovative approach to supporting our game plays a vital role in Football Australia’s chasing its ambitious goal of attracting and retaining 50,000 female participants across Australia over the next two years.”
Gerald Lynch
