Kicking goals and shedding light on football's growing ranks

The Southern Tablelands Football Association has scored an $872,744 state government grant to install new LED lights on two of its 12 fields.

The money, from the Level the Playing Field program, will extend playing hours, increase safety, encourage more female participation, and benefit players, coaches and spectators, says STFA president, Rob Scott.

"New lights will allow for flexible evening training hours, higher level football competitions and greater ability to host larger regional tournaments," he said.

Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman announced the grant at the fields on Friday, May 10.

She and Hume MP Angus Taylor wrote backing letters for STFA's grant application. Goulburn Mulwaree Council deputy mayor Steve Ruddell said council grants officers helped with the bid while other staff obtained landowner consent. The organisation will also appoint a project manager to oversee construction.

"LED lighting means a safe and brighter facility. It will also reduce maintenance costs by replacing the old and dilapidated lighting," he said.

Mr Scott told The Post that the existing lighting was installed in 1972 by a local electrician.

A power upgrade, estimated to cost up to $200,000 will be needed for the new LED system.

STFA competition director, Jason Broadbent said the Association had been chasing grant money for more than 10 years.

"We throw our hat in the ring for any grant money that comes up. But when we saw that up to $2 million was available (in this fund), it was unanimous that we apply for the lights. It will help keep our costs down," he said.

Currently, teams can only play until 3pm due to lighting. STFA has used the fields since 1992.

More than 100 teams across junior and senior ranks play at Cookbundoon on weekends. Schools also occasionally use it during the week.

In March, the STFA hosted the Merino Cup, which drew 87 teams and hundreds of people to town.

The Association's women's coordinator, Kayla Webb said the Matildas' recent World Cup success had increased female interest in the sport. This year, five additional female teams were playing across junior and senior ranks.

The 2021 construction of the Graham Coe pavilion also included six change rooms which had been lacking for many years. Some of these are allocated for girls.

Ms Webb said the competition's 132 teams included 76 boys and men's teams, 23 mixed and and 33 girls and women's teams.

Construction on the new lighting is expected to start in September and be completed by September, 2026.

A total 26 of the 212 applications to the $30m fund were successful.