GIANT leap for western Sydney juniors
The official announcement was made at the season launch in Blacktown, attended by key GIANTS officials including Kevin Sheedy, COO Richard Griffiths and PM Capital GIANTS Academy coach Mark McVeigh.
The competition comprises 18 clubs from an area encompassing the Blue Mountains, Parramatta, The Hills, and Wollondilly; who will receive a range of benefits through the association with the GWS GIANTS; who will also host the grand finals at their elite venue Spotless Stadium, and assist with the provision of representative guernseys and rewards such as membership packages and signed jumpers for club volunteers.
GIANTS Director and inaugural coach Kevin Sheedy said: “This is fantastic for the game in Western Sydney. There’s no doubt the presence of the GIANTS has helped boost participation in AFL in Western Sydney and we want to give as many kids and their families an opportunity to experience our game.”
AFL NSW/ACT Regional Manager for Greater Western Sydney, Dean Connors, said the junior participants will see immediate benefits with the GIANTS’ additional involvement in the competition.
“Junior players in Greater Western Sydney will have a much better football experience by this relationship and all the fan initiatives applied by the GIANTS through the agreement,” Connors said.
“It’s a fantastic initiative from the GIANTS to establish an even greater connection with the local football community.”
In accordance with their ongoing commitment to grassroots football, the GIANTS will continue to allocate Player Ambassadors to each junior club, giving each junior player the chance to get to know the AFL’s brightest young stars during their frequent visits. All players will attend the two club nights, in Blacktown and Campbelltown, where they will meet participants from Auskick right through to U17 from clubs across Sydney’s west.
Clubs in the competition will also have access to coaching resources through the PM Capital GIANTS Academy and through the AFL NSW/ACT coaching and umpiring department.
Chairman of the Regional Committee, Steve Edwards, was presented with a signed GWS GIANTS guernsey by GWS GIANTS COO Richard Griffiths to mark the occasion of the name change.