KEEPING COSTS LOW

Keon Park is entirely volunteer-run, with committee members and coaches fitting club duties around full-time jobs. This model allows the club to keep registrations among the lowest in the area, supported by grants, sponsorships and government programs.

For the 2025 season, registration for junior boys was priced at just $530, and slightly lower at $400 for junior girls to encourage participation. Families are only required to buy boots, while the club supplies all other gear. To further ease costs, Keon Park accepts the $200 sports voucher from the Victorian Government’s Get Active Kids program and works with local sponsors to help reduce fees even further where possible.

NEW EQUIPMENT, NEW OPPORTUNITIES

The surge in junior participation has been a source of pride but also a challenge. Doubling team numbers in one season stretched the club’s gear to the limit. Balls and goals were constantly being shared, leaving kids waiting their turn at training and coaches struggling to run sessions as they’d like.

“There’s nothing worse than coming to training and you can’t give every kid a ball. Everyone loves new equipment. It just makes the kids more appreciative that they have things to train with.” says Chong, committee member.

Fortunately, they are one of the 24 clubs to have been awarded the Future Stars Grant, which will give the club breathing room. Instead of scrambling for equipment or worrying about fundraising to meet demand, thanks to the generosity of Swysh, Keon Park will now have a proper set of gear for the new season. It means every child has the tools they need to build skills, and coaches can focus on the quality of their sessions rather than what’s missing.

For a small, volunteer-run club, $4,235 goes a long way. It allows Keon Park to keep pace with its rapid growth while keeping families’ costs down.

“Four thousand dollars might not sound like much, but we have about 250 juniors and 80 seniors. At face value, that’s easily 15 or 20 dollars per player. It takes off pressure when it comes to deciding fees for next year.”

BUILDING COMMUNITY

While football is the focus, Keon Park’s impact reaches far beyond the pitch. The club sees itself as a place where families connect as much as where kids play sport.

“It’s a chance for not just the kids, but for the families to hang out together. It’s a real community-building event.”

That spirit has also fuelled the growth of girls’ football. Just two years ago, Keon Park had one junior girls’ team and one senior women’s side. Today, there are four junior girls teams and two senior women's teams, and the club hopes to expand even further in the near future. Inspired by the Matildas, Keon Park wants to give every girl who wants to play the opportunity to do so.