The elite football pathway for young aspiring players in the West has received a significant boost with Western United’s Academy set to expand and give hundreds of kids the chance to play in the Green and Black.
Submit your interest to join the Western United Academy
The expanded Academy will see four junior age groups participate in the 2023 Football Victoria Junior Boys National Premier League (NPL), joining the already established and successful senior teams across Under 21 and Under 23 age groups and the Calder United pathway.
Western United Academy Director Anthony Frost is delighted to oversee this expansion and says the Club will aspire to represent the West proudly in each age group.
“The purpose of our Academy is to help develop people to their maximum potential, and through the hard work and knowledge of everyone involved, we will strive to be recognised as a leading developer of footballers in the country,” he said.
“We have a tremendous opportunity to add to the rich history that the West has of developing world class footballers.
“We will work hard to be known for our culture, innovation, excellence and developing players with outstanding character.
“We want the way we play to represent the West proudly and we will ensure that the environment we create is one that will best support players for the future game.
“We can’t wait to get started and are excited for our trials to start in October.”
The Junior Academy set up will be located at a new facility in the City of Wyndham, while the Senior Academy will remain at City Vista Recreation Reserve for next year, before moving to the Wyndham Stadium Regional Training Facility in Tarneit.
Western United’s talent pathway for young girls in the West will remain with Calder United, which continues to achieve great results in all age groups in NPLW Victoria.
Western United Director of Football Steve Horvat celebrated the addition of an elite football pathway for boys in the West.
“With the addition of the junior Academy teams, it is incredibly exciting to have a complete pathway for boys and girls in the West.
“An Academy is only as good as the people involved and I am proud to say that we have the very best people who will be delivering world class standards and a knowledge of what is required to play at the very highest level.
“Clubs in the West have already made big steps forward in growing the game in the West, and United will seek to help amplify that in the community without overshadowing their influence.
“We will continue to engage and consult with existing clubs in the West to provide opportunities to play football for everyone in the region.”
With the Academy itself in just its second year and the Senior Men securing promotion to NPL 2, this represents a major milestone for Western United’s development as a Club and its commitment to the people of the West.
The Western United Academy commenced at the beginning of 2021 and has already seen five players sign A-League Men scholarship contracts – Adisu Bayew, Rhys Bozinovski, Ben Collins, Ajak Deu and Jake Najdovski.
This group of talented young footballers provides inspiration to the next generation in the West.
Western United CEO Chris Pehlivanis is buoyed by the speed at which the Club has achieved this expansion, along with its success in professional men’s and women’s spaces.
“The Academy expansion is a huge milestone in the young history of our club and one we are very proud of.
“After three years of being in existence, it’s a testament to our ambition that we are current A-League Men Champions of Australia, we’re launching our inaugural A-League Women team and we now have a fully operational academy pathway – so now we genuinely represent all footballers in the West.
“It’s extraordinary how quickly this has grown, and we want to take this opportunity to thank our loyal members, fans and partners for their support on our journey.”
Prospective players can fill out an expression of interest form to register their name for trials.
Coaches and support staff can also view the below position descriptions for a number of roles and submit their interest to be part of the Western United Academy.
Interested applicants for Academy positions should send their CV to academy@wufc.com.au, with applications closing COB 16th September.
WUFC Academy Development Coach
