Close to two million people play football around Australia, and FFA CEO David Gallop says he’s hoping to see that skyrocket with the game’s added popularity.
With record numbers of locals tuning in to see the Socceroos and Greek Australian coach Ange Postecoglou be crowned champions of Asia in the Asian Cup last Saturday, the code is now looking to boost the sport’s popularity even more and get the next generation loving the game.
The FFA says it’s expecting a spike in MiniRoos registrations in the weeks to come.
“These introductory programs are important,” Mr Gallop told the ABC.
“We need to focus on young kids when they’re making their decisions on what sport they want to play.”
The decision of what sport to pursue happens when children first enter primary school, and with the market saturated by a well funded and popular Auskick program from the AFL, the going can be tough.
That’s why the FFA is banking on the newly found popularity of the sport and with the continuation of the A-League season, hopes to recruit a large number of grassroots players.
“Our sport is very inclusive, it’s very safe, it’s very simple and the program of MiniRoos gives kids a chance to have some fun and learn some skills,” Mr Gallop says.
The FFA is also looking into keeping its affiliated programs affordable for families, and says they are comparable to other code programs.
“For the bulk of young players, 90-95 per cent of them pay fees that are similar to the other sports, but certainly there is a heavy cost at the elite level, at the NPL level,” he says. “We are looking to address that. It’s only 5 per cent of players that are paying those big fees.”
Better linking the grassroots programs to the A-League is still a long-term priority for the federation and they have seen some success with the introduction of the FFA Cup and the NPL state scheme.