Prolific former Socceroo and Hyundai A-League striker Archie Thompson and high profile Westfield Matilda Steph Catley will be the public faces of the ALDI Miniroos after being named the national ambassadors for Australia’s biggest junior football program for boys and girls aged 4-11 years.
With over 200,000 ALDI Miniroos registered across the country, Catley and Thompson’s ambassador roles will include promoting the ALDI Miniroos brand, promoting the program and spreading the fundamentals of what makes football Australia’s biggest junior team participation sport.
“To have two highly recognisable and popular ambassadors in Steph and Archie as the public figures of ALDI Miniroos is a great result,” said FFA CEO David Gallop.
“Steph and Archie are both household names in Australian sport and are well regarded and respected not only in the football community but also the wider sporting community.
“ALDI Miniroos is crucial to FFA’s 20 Year Football Plan of having four million participants by 2035, and these two are perfect examples of promoting everything ALDI Miniroos stands for and helping to achieve this target.”
Catley, who at 23 years of age has already made 53 appearances for the Westfield Matildas and recently captained Melbourne City FC to the Westfield W-League title, grew up playing in suburban Melbourne and fell in love with the game at early age after seeing her brother play.
“I love the idea of being an ALDI MiniRoos ambassador, especially the Miniroos for Girls program, because as I was growing up through the little leagues and the local leagues there weren’t any girls teams around at that age group,” said Catley.
“Now there is that option for girls to go and have fun, hang out with their mates and play football and have somewhere to go to enjoy their football and improve their skills in a fun way which is really important.”
“There was nothing like Miniroos for Girls around when I was growing up and to see what is in place now is fantastic and something I’m really happy and proud to be associated with.”
“ALDI Miniroos for Girls provides so many great benefits to staying active and healthy, making friends, developing social skills and values such as team work and respect for others.”
Thompson scored 28 goals from 54 international appearances for the Caltex Socceroos and enjoyed a decorated playing career, headlined by scoring five goals in the Hyundai A-League 2007 Grand Final for Melbourne Victory.
The father of two says the values of ADLI Miniroos resonate with the ones he has for his own children.
“The great thing about ALDI Miniroos is it gives kids the chance to play football in an enjoyable, safe and most importantly fun environment,” said Thompson.
“Some of my best memories when I was young were the times I was kicking a football around with my friends in the park after school. We’d play for hours until it got too dark and we’d have to go inside so I’m really proud to be an ambassador for ALDI Miniroos and everything it stands for.”
“ALDI Miniroos encompasses all of the great things about football and I look forward to playing a small part in continuing to see more and more kids fall in love with the game and develop amazing friendships like I did.”
For more information about ALDI Miniroos, visit www.Miniroos.com.au or the official ALDI Miniroos Facebook page
