Football Federation Australia (FFA) and FIFA today announced that the first ever Australian Edition of the FIFA Live Your Goals Festival will be held tomorrow in Sydney.
The Australian edition of the FIFA ‘Live Your Goals’ festival will involve young females (primary school students & current football participants) who have been invited to the event to participate in skill based sessions and Miniroos small-sided games. The participants will also have the opportunity to meet FIFA Live Your Goals ambassadors and Matildas Lisa De Vanna, Elise Kellond-Knight & Steph Catley.
Speaking at the FIFA ‘Live Your Goals’ Media Launch today, FFA’s Head of Community and Women’s Football Emma Highwood was excited about launching the new program.
“It’s fantastic that FIFA has again provided support to a program in Australia that promotes female football development ,” said Highwood.
“Our participation number at the grass roots level for girls and women’s football in Australia are very healthy at present and growing rapidly.
“Football provides golden opportunities for girls and women to develop healthy lifestyles and participate in the sport as players and professionals.
“Female football players around the world are role models of excellence and technique, perseverance, discipline, teamwork, respect and fair play.
“Through events such as these, we hope to inspire a new generation of girls and young women to achieve their goals through football
“We hope to take this festival of football around the country in the future,” concluded Highwood.
Current Matilda and Australian ‘Live Your Goals’ Ambassador Steph Catley is excited about her involvement in the festival.
“Football has provided me with some amazing opportunities and memories in my life so far.
“Through campaigns such as the FIFA ‘Live Your Goals’ festival, I hope that other young women will one day have the confidence and courage to achieve their goals through football,” concluded Catley.
The FIFA “LIVE YOUR GOALS” campaign (www.fifa.com/lyg) was launched at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™, and since then it has evolved into one of FIFA’s most recognised initiatives in women’s football.
Following a pilot phase in 2012-2013, FIFA made ‘LIVE YOUR GOALS’ available to member associations, as part of its support for women’s football development as well as to ensure that the campaign has a worldwide impact.
The “LIVE YOUR GOALS” campaign strives to create awareness and to develop football for girls and women in their respective countries.
The objectives of the FIFA ‘LIVE YOUR GOALS’ campaign are to:
• Increase the popularity of women’s football locally, nationally and globally
• Spark, foster and generate excitement about women’s football
• Increase participation of girls and women in football
• Create the best platforms for women’s football to thrive, with more females becoming lifelong participants in the sport
• Ensure that football is the number one sport for females across the globe in terms of participation and Popularity
The first Australian edition of the FIFA ‘Live Your Goals’ festival will involve female players aged between 6-24 years and will be held at Valentine Sports Park, Glenwood, NSW from 9am on Saturday 6 September.
