9 April 2020
Good afternoon members,
I hope everyone is beginning to adapt to government restrictions and taking measures to ensure the safety of themselves and loved ones. The past three weeks have been unsettling to say the least, with lots of excited football lovers stopped in their tracks. The office staff and I stand by your side in these moments, with our pursuit to deliver the game you love our number one mission. Our priority and moral obligation is to ensure the safety of our whole community and ensure we weather the storm and come out the other side united, fit, healthy and ready to play.
We have faced shortened seasons before, with many players remembering consistent years where large proportions of the season have been rained off. We came out of these moments more eager to play and more willing to connect as a community as a result. The COVID-19 postponement will afford us this opportunity again.
I will continue to keep you updated from an NSFA point of view and where possible provide insight into developments from Football NSW and FFA. I am sure your Club is also communicating to maintain connection.
Social media platforms have been cascading with engaging content and it is great to see individual Clubs joining the action by sharing Home Skill videos, Coach Profiles and encouraging support of our community sponsors. It is activities such as this that makes me proud to be involved in football and see our Community, supporting community.
Football does not sleep and during the unusual opportunity we have been provided, I am pleased to see the progress being made throughout NSFA. Many NSFA Clubs have taken this opportunity to take a step back, review their operations and dedicate time to the ‘big picture’ to deliver a better community football experience for their members. In line with the FFA’s National Club Development program, I have seen several submissions with clubs using this time wisely to revolutionise how they deliver football and become the cornerstone of our community.
I am also pleased to convey the exceptional work going on behind the scenes by NSFA staff. Our social media and communications have been running wild with record engagement tallied each week. We have been able to progress our Facilities Strategy to ensure that we continue to work alongside our five councils to meet the needs of football in the future and ensure future generations can take part on modern, safe and beautiful fields. Our Competitions department are not only adjusting draws for the 2020 season, but also preparing for future years to ensure strategy around the formation of divisions and revamping Summer Football. Our Football Department, and its many coaches, have begun building what will be the most extensive library of resources, session plans and development plans that link to our Community Football Development and Pathways strategic priorities. The assemblage of all these components will enable football in NSFA to lead the way, with greater focus on ‘the player’ and the community football experience of all involved.
Our season commencement date is currently set for 31st May in line with FFA. I imagine we will have further information to share over the coming weeks and a more definitive understanding of the season by the 20th May. Until this time, I ask that you support your Club and NSFA by maintaining your registration, allowing us to prepare the season accordingly. As previously communicated, pro-rata rates will be charged for all registrations in 2020.
Have a great weekend with your family,
Yours in football,
Edward Ferguson
NSFA CEO
