Wingham Football Club has been awarded over $4,300 by the NSW Football Legacy fund to drive their Wingham Football Club Kick-Off sessions, ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup this July.
The WFC Kick-Off is an eight-week Miniroos program (aimed at children between the ages of five-11) that provides a fun and safe environment for new and existing participants to learn new skills. Each child will receive a MiniRoos Participant Pack when they register – which includes a bag, ball, sticker sheet, and an activity book.
Currently, 32% of participants at Wingham Football Club are female, and this program aims to encourage girls to participate and use the program as a stepping stone to playing football long term.
“We’re extremely thrilled to have been awarded this grant, and we’re sure to see it kickstart an influx of female participants in the years to come as these girls grow older,” says Chad Bowbrick, Wingham Football Club.
“The opportunities and programs that we present to these young girls will hopefully see them take their love of football into their teenhood and adulthood years, possibly even training up to a professional level and joining our beloved Matildas,” he continued.
The vision of Wingham Football Club is parallel to that of the Football Legacy Program, which seeks to boost female participation by 35% in 2023, encouraging the next generation of Matildas to begin their football journey.
About the Legacy Fund Participation and Infrastructure Grants
The NSW government recently announced a $3.1 million investment into more than 100 grassroots football projects across the state to help improve facilities and run programs to boost player participation as part of the NSW Football Legacy Fund.
The investment is intended to broaden female player options and increase participation opportunities while enhancing football facilities and supporting infrastructure. This fund also aims to assist clubs in developing football programs at all levels through the construction or upgrading of community facilities, leadership and development initiatives.
As Australia prepares to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, strengthening the football community in NSW is key to matching the unprecedented level of interest in female football. The NSW Football Legacy Fund seeks to ensure it has the facilities and programming to match the buzz that the FIFA World Cup is generating for Australia’s next generation of future Matildas.
More information about the NSW Football Legacy Fund is available here.
