The World Cup's lasting legacy on Northern NSW Football

Now, clubs within Northern NSW (NNSW) are ensuring the momentum continues with a range of initiatives to keep people kicking on.

As part of a second round of the state government's $10 million NSW Football Legacy Program, 29 projects in NNSW have received financial support.

Hamilton Azzurri have been running Open Football, a free program at Jesmond Park targeting the Culturally And Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community, for the past 18 months.

Thomas Kane, who founded the program, said Azzurri will use $14,862 in Legacy funding to offer female-specific CALD programs.

"We run after-school programs and coaching and free holiday clinics," Kane told the Newcastle Herald.

"We've also got transition to club football assistance, and we've got some talented player pathways, so it's pretty broad."

The Legacy funding will be used for female-specific clinics during term one of next year as well as two-day holiday clinics in the April and June school holidays.

"We've found that our female participation numbers were pretty high but we found that they don't play club football on a weekend," Kane said.

"The funding is for some female-specific coaching clinics and after-school programs because confidence-wise, we've still found that some girls aren't keen to be in with the boys.

"So it's about giving them that safe space where they can participate in football. We're also looking to provide as many female coaches as possible, so that the families are comfortable with them coming down and doing that. And we've also got funding within it to produce culturally sensitive clothing."

Annelise Rosnell, general manager NSW Football Legacy, said 20 participation initiatives and nine infrastructure projects in Northern NSW had benefited from funding during the second round.

"The funding has two streams, a participation stream and an infrastructure stream," Rosnell said.

"The participation really focuses on activities that are going to either increase participation or retain more players within football, both women and girls and boys and men.

"So that will see a whole range of activities from holiday clinics to come and try days, purchasing uniforms for teams, equipment for clubs to be able to deliver football, so a really broad range of activities from that participation side.

"The infrastructure is all about improving football facilities and the capacity of football venues to be able to offer lighting and better playing surfaces, so that it can be utilised by the community and our football clubs more ... so we can offer not just a better football experience but more opportunities to play."

Lochinar Rovers will receive $13,125 for female uniforms.

Greta Branxton FC are set to benefit from $150,000 in lighting upgrades at Miller Park as well as $9,482 for a female football skill improvement program, while Maitland City Council received $129,450 for a lighting upgrade at Thornton's A&D Lawrence Oval.

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