A NEW junior soccer club, Gippsland FC, has been formed to help transition talented young local players toward the elite level.

The club has been established as a continuation of the Gippsland Soccer League's Emerging Talent Program (ETP) which has been running for the past three years.

Gippsland FC's charter is to create pathways for its players, focus on the benefits of long term development and create a culture to help juniors reach their full potential in football and in life.

"The driving force to establish Gippsland FC now is to foster a sense of belonging and identity for those girls and boys who were already a part of the ETP and recent and future recruits," a club spokesperson said.

"Being able to identify with a strong club culture is a vital part of all team sports and it is a very exciting time for all of us involved to be there at the beginning of which we are sure will be an exciting adventure.

"At this stage our main focus is to get the club up and running but growth is at the forefront of our thinking."

Gippsland FC will field under 13, 14, 15 and 18 teams in the FFV South East Division competition this season and will run an under 14/16 girls' development squad.

It will continue to provide high level development programs to talented under 10 and under 12 girls and boys.

"Within the next couple of years we will be aiming to have teams participating at all junior levels and a particular goal will to be to develop the strength of our girls' program because they are a vital part of the club's structure," the spokesperson said.

The club is also keen to maintain and strengthen ties with local clubs in the GSL and LVSL.

"We see a cooperative partnership with the local community clubs as vital in building opportunities for young Gippsland players to be the best they can be and open doors to higher levels of the game; we believe the entities are not mutually exclusive and girls and train on players will continue to play with their community clubs," the spokesperson said.

"To produce another Baley Row (currently a Melbourne City youth squad member) at least, is ultimately the aim of Gippsland FC and we have established a pathway that will produce a positive outcome for Gippsland's talented players."

Players who successfully trialled in October 2015 will commence training this month with competitive games commencing in April.

Posted in the Latrobe Valley Express
http://www.latrobevalleyexpress.com.au/story/3727509/gippsland-fc-eyes-a-league/?cs=1588