Blue skies ahead for Mildura's talented players

Football Federation Victoria (FFV), in conjunction with the Sunraysia Academy of Sport, is proud to announce the establishment of a joint Football Academy program in Mildura.

This is a never before seen program in Sunraysia, and will provide the region’s talented players with maximum development (on and off the field) and quality coaching in preparation for higher levels of performance including State Representation, aswell as the next Victorian Champions League season.

There are over 750 footballers currently registered in the Sunraysia region, with over 400 of them juniors. The best of these players currently play for Loddon-Mallee in the Victorian Champions League, the state’s premier competition for young footballers.

It is these juniors that will benefit most from the academy, as it nurtures their growth and development as they journey down the path to becoming an elite footballer.

Talented Player Partnership Manager Anthony Grima said that formal partnerships created with professional sporting organisations such as the Sunraysia Academy of Sport allows FFV to provide a consistent approach to the delivery of the state development program in each of the four country regions.

“Football Federation Victoria is committed to supporting the delivery of the state development and regional academy program which ensures talented players identified from the Victorian Champions League are prepared for future state representation and even potential national success in the world game,” he said.

“The benefits of the regional academy program, as like all other FFV academy and development programs in metro and regional Victoria, will be to provide ongoing development prior to and beyond National Championship tours for Victoria’s state representative squads.

“The program includes an intense identification and development camp, access to better coaches, monitoring of player well-being by physiotherapists and sports science staff, and even links with current National Training Programs, National Youth League and W-League squads.”

The unique program also aims to bridge the gap between regional footballers and their metropolitan counterparts. The program will drastically minimise the need for players to travel to Melbourne to receive the same type of development. They will train twice a week in their local academy program which is guided by the Football Federation Australia national curriculum and meticulously designed by some of the finest football minds in Victoria.

Mildura football mainstay, Ross Mosello, will oversee the implementation of the program. Ross has been involved in football for most of his life, as a player, coach, committee member and recently as FFV-Sunraysia football administrator. Heather Stamation has been appointed Head Coach of the program and will work with FFV Technical Director Sean Douglas to ensure players are well prepared for their state commitments at various times of the year.

The Sunraysia academy is the last piece in the existing regional academy puzzle, with similar academies being established in Gippsland, Bendigo, Ballarat, Shepparton, Wodonga and Geelong.

There has never been a better time to be a young footballer in Sunraysia!


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