Celebrating Excellence: New ‘Association of the Year’ Award to Debut at 2025 State Awards
The 2025 State Awards will see the exciting introduction of a brand-new category, Nine Ad Manager Association of the Year, recognising outstanding leadership, innovation, and impact across football associations in NSW.
This new category will sit alongside another new inclusion, Nine Ad Manager Community Club of the Year.
Proudly sponsored by Nine Ad Manager, this award was introduced by Football NSW Chairman Gilbert Lorquet to highlight the crucial role associations play in the growth and success of the game at all levels.
This award celebrates associations that have gone above and beyond to improve football delivery in their regions across key areas such as club and volunteer support, education and development, inclusion, governance, and community engagement.
Nominations are judged based on excellence or innovation across a broad range of criteria, including:
- Innovative delivery of football programs
- Support for clubs, volunteers, players, coaches, and referees
- Commitment to diversity and inclusion
- Strategic partnerships and community collaboration
- Long-term sustainability and governance
Thanks to the support of Nine Ad Manager, the winning association will receive a $2,000 advertising voucher to run a targeted registration campaign on the Nine Ad Manager platform. Two runners-up will each receive $1,000 vouchers to support similar initiatives.
With strong nominations received across the state, five associations have been shortlisted as finalists:
Nine Ad Manager Association of the Year – Finalists
Albury Wodonga Football Association
A regional leader in innovation and inclusion, AWFA launched the area’s first girls-only MiniRoos competition, now with 26 teams. They run cadet referee programs, emotional intelligence and concussion workshops, and community fundraising events like their locally hosted “State of Origin,” raising $10,000 for cancer support in 2025.
Dubbo & District Football Association
DDFA modernised operations by moving to digital platforms for competition management and launching new comps like Junior Futsal and All-Girls MiniRoos. They introduced an annual awards program, restructured governance to a regional model, and strengthened referee safety and development.
Football South Coast
FSC has embedded female football into its strategic focus, creating 70+ new female teams and growing participation by 20%. They’ve invested in referee development, built partnerships with multicultural and education groups, hosted major finals, and helped clubs secure over $1.4 million in funding.
Macarthur Football Association
MFA is raising the bar in grassroots football with the launch of a Coaching Hub and Talent Development Program. Their MiniRoos Gala Days and Division 1 club benchmarks drive consistency and quality, while club mascot “Mac the Ram” engages families and builds local pride.
Manly Warringah Football Association
With over 23,000 members, MWFA leads the way in community sport. The association delivers tailored training, free courses for coaches and referees, female-only programs, and long-term infrastructure planning. Their All-Abilities football and consistent club support show a deep commitment to inclusive, sustainable football.
The Nine Ad Manager Association of the Year will be determined using a 3-2-1 point system, ranking the top three associations based on their submissions. Winners will be announced at the 2025 State Awards on Saturday, October 25.
This award not only recognises excellence – it empowers associations to further grow the game in their communities through professional, data-driven digital promotion.
Stay tuned as we prepare to honour the state’s most forward-thinking football associations at this year’s ceremony.
