THE proposed Moorabbin redevelopment will create a sporting and community facility that has enormous community benefits.

The expanded project would provide state of the art facilities for more than 9,000 junior footballers from the South Metro Junior Football League (SMJFL) along with TAC club Sandringham Dragons and the Southern Football Netball League.

In addition to the new facilities, these organisations and associated clubs will also gain access to St Kilda’s coaching staff as a means to further develop their pathway programs and players.

St Kilda Football Club’s involvement in Moorabbin is just the icing on the cake, with the benefits of the project stretching considerably beyond the AFL system.

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The SMJFL’s chairman Peter Ryan said his league’s motto is ‘it’s about the kids’ and that the Moorabbin proposal will complement this.

“St Kilda coming back to Moorabbin gives our clubs and kids the opportunity to use some facilities that potentially they have never had before,” Ryan told SAINTS.com.au.

“We have 27 member clubs which is made up of 9,500 registered players. Behind that we have 397 teams who play some 3,000 games of footy per year with 4,000 volunteers through the clubs. We have a supporter base of probably anywhere between 35,000-45,000 people through parents, family members and friends of the kids.

“One of the things we hope is to develop some leadership programs for the kids in conjunction with St Kilda FC and to be able to bring some of our teams to train here and use the new facilities would be fantastic.”

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St Kilda CEO Matt Finnis shared Ryan’s vision for a new training facility that also offers great value to the local community.

“Two of the key drivers to successful community football are facilities and coaching,” St Kilda CEO Matt Finnis told SAINTS.com.au.

“At Moorabbin, we will provide fantastic facilities but also access to forge relationships around coaching that will help grow young footballers along the pathway.

“Imagine what we can do to develop the quality of coaching for young footballers in the community through linking in our knowledge and resources.

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Finnis also said that the rapidly evolving women’s football landscape will greatly benefit from Moorabbin redevelopment. In the community pavilion there will be separate female changing rooms.

“Imagine what we can do in terms of the young players learning what it takes to be well rounded athletes striving to be the best.” he said.

“That is the opportunity that exists which is pretty unique and promises to be a football community like no other in the country.

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The Kingston Council, State Government and AFL have all stated their support for the project in recent weeks.

“This is a great opportunity to invest in our community by providing a community football hub that will boost local community football leagues that serve thousands of locals,” Kingston Mayor Geoff Gledhill said.

“It will also provide a much-needed indoor sports court that the community is crying out for, a great new playground and improved parkland. And we’re pleased to see the return of the Saints to their traditional heartland in Moorabbin as its main training base.

“Instead of crumbling infrastructure that’s an eyesore for local residents, Moorabbin Reserve will boast quality parkland, a great new playground, fantastic facilities for community sport and provide a home base for the St Kilda Football Club.”