General News
24 October, 2024
$3.5m ‘goal’ for soccer
SOCCER will be the big winner after a Miles Labor government promised – if re-elected – to fund a new $3.5 million venue at Manunda with an emphasis on growing women’s participation in the sport.
Football Queensland’s proposed facility at Endeavour Park would provide four new women-friendly change rooms, a performance/gym space, accessible toilets, a medical room, a kitchen/canteen, a referee room and covered spaces.
Sport Minister and Member for Cairns Michael Healy said Endeavour Park hosted thousands of football matches every year from community and divisional games to Premier League fixtures.
“On top of the 3000 junior players each week, Endeavour Park in Manunda regularly welcomes hundreds of football families from as far afield as Innisfail, Mareeba and Port Douglas,” he said.
“It also hosts school-based carnivals, competitions and Indigenous football programs.
“Endeavour Park is home to the Football Queensland Academy Program which provides talented young boys and girls access to a high-quality training environment and the elite pathway.
“In the last 12 months the academy has seen an incredible 344 per growth, with women’s football up by 209 per cent.
“Football continues to experience unprecedented growth in Cairns and the game is evolving. This new facility with female-friendly changerooms will support all levels of football in the Cairns region.”
Football Queensland regional manager Sarah Campbell said Endeavour Park was the heartland of football in Cairns and the new venue would cater specifically for female players.
She said the aim was to build women’s participation in football to 50:50. Currently it was a third female and two-thirds male.
Ms Campbell said it was a significant “stretch target” but the organisation was building on themagic of the Matildas and Mary Fowler (who was from Cairns).
She said Mary Fowler showed that players from regional players could reach the world stage.
“You can be what you see,” Ms Campbell said.
FQ northern region general manager Craig Ramage said the upgrade of Endeavour Park aligned with FQ’s master plan for the facility and “will deliver incredible benefits to the more than 4100 members of our football community who attend the venue each week and participate in football as Cairns’ most popular sport”.
