Brisbane Roar is pleased to confirm that the partnership with the Schools Premier League (SPL) will be continuing for a fourth year in 2023.
The club forged an affiliation with the SPL in 2020 to support talent identification, player pathways and coach development. These are key elements the Brisbane Roar continues to advocate for.
There are currently 14 state schools running elite football programs that work in close collaboration with the Roar following several successful years of the community collaboration.
SPL schools in 2023 are as follows:
- Albany Creek SHS
- Aspley SHS
- Cavendish Road SHS
- Chancellor State College
- Cleveland District SHS
- Corinda SHS
- Harristown SHS
- Helensvale SHS
- Kawana Waters State College
- Kelvin Grove State College
- Marsden SHS
- Murrumba State Secondary College
- Palm Beach Currumbin SHS
- Southport State High
Brisbane Roar NPL Head Coach Chris Grossman is pleased to see the club collaborating with the SPL for another year as he sees it as one of many pathways into Queensland’s only professional football club.
“It provides another pathway for players outside of the Queensland NPL and FQPL to play through school and provide to them the opportunity to be seen by programs like ours,” Grossman said.
“Probably too often in football or elite sports we get caught up in one pathway and that there’s only one way we can get to the top.”
“Not everyone is as fortunate as the ones that make it, there’s some that are doing it tough whether it be financially or through lack of opportunity,” he said.
Grossman believes the program gives players the chance to be noticed that can play at the level of football expected at the Academy.
Queensland Schools Premier League acknowledge the Roar’s vision of being recognised as the stand-out football team in the Isuzu UTE A-League and to proudly be an ambassador for all football organisations, clubs and schools in Queensland.
SPL Chairperson Shane Robinson is very excited to see the partnership continue between the SPL schools and Brisbane Roar.
“As our only A-League club here in Queensland, Brisbane Roar are committed to continue connecting with its local community and providing the best possible opportunities to experience professional level football in our region,” Robinson said.
“We are excited to be working with the Roar again this year and are looking forward to all the ways we can work together with our collective of schools in 2023.”
“We are looking forward to bringing SPL students closer to the professional game by attending Roar training and match day experiences with our students.”
Any students wishing to join an SPL school program are asked to complete an expression of interest form through their school’s website or contact the school’s Football Coordinator.
For up-to-date information on the SPL, stay tuned to the Queensland Schools Premier League Facebook page.
