In 2022, Football South embarked on delivering the inaugural Football South Youth Development League. Football South encompasses Central Otago Football, Otago Football, South Canterbury Football, and Southland Football, each with a smaller pool of players compared to other regions in the country.
The Football South Youth Development League aimed to provide opportunities for passionate teams to elevate their football skills. To minimise individual costs and ensure that no player would miss out due to financial hardship, Football South applied for and successfully received funding through a TAB NZ grant.
Most of the expenses incurred were due to travel to matches in regions such as Invercargill, South Canterbury, and Central Otago. The TAB NZ grant assisted in funding this travel and alleviating some of the costs per player.
“Being able to provide bus transport for all travel games meant that we could remove as many barriers as possible to ensure this new league was accessible for players. It meant that parents, coaches and players felt safe travelling to each region and could focus solely on football instead of driving cars/vans themselves,” said Katie Greene, Finance Manager, Football South.
Located in a unique area of New Zealand, the club faced challenges. However, with a clear plan to make the newly established league a success, they managed to create opportunities for young players to participate in a competition where they could showcase their talents.
“Without the generous contribution from TAB NZ, we may not have been able to provide this opportunity for our players at such an accessible cost. We have received great feedback from all members involved and lots of it based on how well organised and efficient the transport for games was. This simply couldn’t have been the case without TAB NZ support,” said Katie Greene.
With a total of 162 players and 25 volunteers requiring transport to the games, the TAB NZ grant enabled Football South to focus on their love for the game and provide a competitive environment that prioritised player development and an enjoyable experience.
TAB NZ is committed to improving the odds and boosting participation by helping teams fund much-needed travel to elevate their players to the next level.
Apply here to see how we can improve the odds for your club.
