The GIANTS will be transforming their training and community centre at Sydney Olympic Park into a new centre of excellence, thanks to a generous $15 million grant from the NSW Government. The new centre will provide a home ground for the GIANTS’ AFLW team and high-performance facilities for the club’s AFL, AFLW and netball teams.
The NSW Premier stated that the project has a focus on creating more opportunities for women and girls in AFL, and that the investment will also help the GIANTS expand its community outreach program by increasing access and utilization for grassroots community sporting clubs and schools in Western Sydney.
The NSW Minister for Sport added that the funding will support the installation of new lighting, scoreboard, oval fencing, and a swimming pool complex. He emphasized that the program is bridging the gap between elite sport and the grassroots by bringing sporting heroes closer to the community and creating strong links with pathway and development programs.
GIANTS CEO David Matthews said this is a significant announcement for the football club and for women’s football in New South Wales. He mentioned that the project is imperative for the club to continue to grow and expand their training and community facility and work towards developing a dedicated AFLW stadium at Sydney Olympic Park.
The Center of Excellence Fund aims to improve talent pathways by providing funding towards the development of integrated high-performance sporting and community facilities. Projects funded through the program must include multi-purpose facilities, enabling organizations to expand community programs and engage with the community.
