MELBOURNE: Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Football Federation Victoria (FFV) and Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) mark International Women’s Day by joining forces to power women’s football to a new level after agreeing to a broad ranging Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Sharing the belief that Australia can be World Champions and Olympic Gold Medalists in the next four years, the MOU commits the PFA and FFV to working in partnership to advance the interests of the women’s game through:
· building an integrated career path for Victorian girls that links grassroots, the W-League and international football at club and national team level;
· a commitment to a professional and elite high performance environment for women within football;
· cooperating on finding employment for elite women footballers within the football industry; and
· taking joint positions on matters of gender equity within football.
Following the release of the PFA’s Grassroots to Greatness Roadmap for Women’s Football, PFA Player Relations Executive Kathryn Gill said the partnership was another important step forward.
“We firmly believe that we can be the very best nation in the world,” said the Matildas leading goalscorer. “To do this we need to have a bigger pool of players, and partnerships such as this are an important step in creating more opportunities for W-League players to commit to pursuing their football aspirations.”
FFV Chief Executive Maxwell Gratton said the PFA’s Grassroots to Greatness Roadmap would benefit all of Victorian football.
“Over the last two years, Victoria has nurtured a 29% increase in girls who participate in the ALDI MiniRoos,” Mr Gratton said.
“This revolutionary surge in popularity for football must be embraced at every level, and the PFA’s Grassroots to Greatness Roadmap will only serve to accelerate the growth of football and experience of playing at every level.”
With the establishment of a Women’s Football Network a central component of the PFA’s Grassroots to Greatness Roadmap, PFA Chief Executive John Didulica said he was pleased to welcome FFV into the network.
“The Women’s Football Network, is a central pillar of the PFA’s Roadmap for the sport and we are delighted that FFV is the first organisation to commit to joining,” said Didulica.
“Aligning all tiers of the sport is critical if we are to provide a genuine professional pathway for women. We share the same ambition for Australian football and the opportunity to work in partnership with FFV is one we believe can elevate the women’s game to a new level.”
FFV President and PFA Life Member Kimon Taliadoros said FFV prided itself on being a leader for women in sport and leadership.
“It is exciting to take this step and give FFV’s full support to ideals that align so closely with our organisation’s values,” Mr Taliadoros said. “FFV’s tireless work in elevating women in sport and leadership, through football, only stands to be enhanced by a pathway that will create more female leaders and role models.”
PFA MEDIA
Beau Busch | PFA Player Relations and Communications Executive
PH: +61 (0) 432 763 485
E: beau@pfa.net.au
FFV Media
Teo Pellizzeri | FFV Media and Communications Manager
PH: +61 (0) 412 985 908
E: tpellizzeri@ffv.org.au
