Blacktown District SFA driving grassroots growth with major 2026 initiatives
Blacktown District Soccer Football Association (BDSFA) has outlined a series of key initiatives for 2026, with a strong focus on youth development, coach education and celebrating female participation as the grassroots season gets underway.
The programs include the introduction of the Blacktown Youth Development League (BYDL), continued investment in free coach education for member clubs, and a standout Female Football Week launch event, all designed to strengthen pathways and raise standards across community football.
A key pillar of the association’s vision is the BYDL, a new competition structure aimed at enhancing youth development environments across the district.
Blacktown District Soccer Football Association General Manager Owen Liiv said the competition has been shaped around delivering stronger football experiences for young players.
“It’s pretty clear that people want more and better football experiences,” Liiv said.
“We have based our BYDL on the club standards and benchmarking framework used by Football NSW in the JDL, BYL and GYL but adapted it for community football.”
Liiv said the long-term objective is to elevate the standard of youth football in Blacktown while improving outcomes in state-wide competitions.
“The measure for us is high quality youth football competitions within Blacktown and ultimately, stronger performances in state-wide competitions such as the Football NSW State Cup or Football NSW Champion of Champions,” he said.
The BYDL will apply across all youth Division One competitions in the U13–U18 age groups within the BDSFA and Phoenix League female competitions, which include both BDSFA and GDSFA clubs.
Clubs are being encouraged to implement structured training environments, including a recommended minimum of two training sessions per week where possible.
The referees branch will also support the initiative by prioritising Division One fixtures and providing three-person control where available.
Alongside youth development, BDSFA continues to invest heavily in coaching education, with free Foundation of Football courses delivered across its member clubs.
The association has expanded its technical workforce over the past 18 months to support coach education delivery across Blacktown, both formally and informally.
Liiv said removing barriers to education has been a key priority.
“Coaches are the key component in successful football programs, and we are delighted to be able to offer Foundation of Football courses for free for our members,” Liiv said.
“Our CETs deliver the courses and accredit coaches, but because they are also permanent employees of the association, they are on hand to provide advice year-round and are always seeking to connect people within the district to improve grassroots football coaching for all within the BDSFA.”
With more than 1,000 registered coaches across 24 member clubs, BDSFA has set a target of 85 per cent of community coaches achieving their Foundation of Football accreditation over the next three years.
Courses are delivered at Blacktown Football Park or at club venues where suitable facilities are available, ensuring accessibility for volunteer coaches remains a priority.
The association also celebrated the start of Female Football Week with a flagship “Cocktails on the Pitch” event at Blacktown Football Park, bringing together players, coaches, referees, administrators and volunteers.
The event was the brainchild of Emma Willis and delivered in collaboration with BDSFA directors including Emma Willis, Karena Newland, Kevin Poilly and Joe Maxwell, showcasing the contribution of women across all levels of the game.
Former Matilda Leah Blayney was the guest speaker, sharing her journey from Wentworth Falls to international football and encouraging continued growth of the women’s game.
Liiv said the event highlighted the importance of recognising and celebrating female participation across the game.
“This is a unique event was a great way to kick off Female Football Week within the BDSFA,” Liiv said.
“Between now and the end of the month many of our clubs have a number of exciting events planned, all designed to showcase and celebrate females in every aspect of our game.”
He added that the success of the launch means it is likely to become a regular feature.
“After the successful launch of Cocktails on the Pitch this week we look forward to it being an annual event on the BDSFA calendar,” he said.
The event was attended by just under 100 people and included players, coaches, referees, administrators and volunteers from across the association.
Through initiatives across youth development, coach education and female football engagement, BDSFA continues to strengthen its role as a leading grassroots football organisation in Western Sydney.
