GEELONG Region Football Committee (GRFC) Chairperson Jo Plummer and Deputy Chair Paul Rawson have both been selected to be keynote speakers at an upcoming national football conference in Melbourne in July.

In a major show of recognition for what the Geelong region has been undertaking over the past 12 months, as far as developing and implementing an ambitious Strategic Development Plan, Plummer and Rawson will speak at the second Keynote session on the opening day’s itinerary entitled, “Growing the Game – Global Learnings to Local Settings”.

PHOTO: GRFC Chairperson Jo Plummer (main photo), GRFC Deputy Chairperson Paul Rawson (middle) and current Chief Executive of the Australian Professional Footballers’ Association (bottom)

“We will be primarily focussing on Australia’s local commitment at a regional level, exploring how to grow the game with sustainable clubs,” Chairperson Jo Plummer explained.

“It is a huge honour to be asked to speak at this event, but it’s also a massive recognition of what we as a Football Family have been endeavouring to do with the realisation of our strategic plan in the wider Geelong region,” said Plummer, who is also a member on the Advisory Board of the group bidding for a Geelong A-League club, currently operating under the working title of Victoria Patriots FC.

Two other Geelong football identities will also be taking part in the Conference as keynote speakers.

Current Bell Park SC senior player, Aaron D’Antino, will be speaking on ‘video analysis to identify improvements, coaching strategy and success adopted as a retention strategy’ in his role as Head of Performance Analysis at Melbourne Victory FC.

Former North Geelong Warriors player and coach, John Didulica, will present a paper entitled “Grassroots to Greatness: A Roadmap for Women’s football in Australia” in his role as Chief Executive of the Melbourne based Australian Professional Footballers’ Association.

The inaugural National Football Conference 2017 will be held under the banner of the National Sports Convention on Thursday 20^th and Friday 21^st July 2017 at the Pullman Melbourne Hotel at Albert Park.

The two day conference has been developed with the Australian Football family, with a key focus on growing grass roots football and what facilities and support is needed to promote growth and ensure sustainability of the sport.

With global, Asia Pacific and Australian key speakers together with the FFA, Victoria University and various Australian state football federations (including Football Federation Victoria), this will be ‘the’ football conference to attend in 2017.

The National Football Conference is committed to bringing together opportunities to learn from global and national leaders and local providers.  The Global Keynote Sessions will be shared with the National Sports Convention Conference where the audience will hear insights for the broader community sport and recreation industry, that are also applicable to the football sector.

The Football Plenary Sessions will focus on Growing the Game (Global learnings to local settings will share insights and approaches from Asia, Europe and Australia) as well as the Future of Women and Girls in Football – Insights gained from Europe and Australia on how they are strategically focused on and tactically supporting women and girls in Football.

For more information about the National Football Conference, visit www.nationalsportsconvention.com.au