PILA group®  supplies the goal posts for an initiative taken by AFL NSW/ACT to promote football in schools in western Sydney.

A recent two-day initiative by AFL NSW/ACT saw 12 new sets of goal posts being installed at local schools in Western Sydney, taking the total number of venues that can be accessed by schools to 58.

The AFL NSW/ACT initiative encourages local school students to now kick goals without having to travel large distances while also allowing schools in the area to access the facilities before, during and after classroom hours.

A second roll out planned for the near future in the North West regions of Sydney will see the number go up significantly.

The goal post blitz was made possible by PILA group, the Preferred Goal Post Supplier to AFL NSW/ACT, who manufactured and supplied the posts and will be supplying the goals for the next roll out as well.

AFL NSW/ACT General Manager Tom Harley is excited to see one of the AFL’s priorities come to fruition. The initial roll out involving the installation of the 12 new sets of AFL goal posts is part of AFL’s vision to provide students in Sydney and NSW/ACT with an opportunity to play AFL.  

He hopes that this initiative will encourage the growth of existing inter-school and intra-school competitions. He explains that students with access to AFL facilities at schools will not have to travel long distances to play the game while also motivating those new to the sport to give AFL a go.  

This year saw a record 60,000-strong participation by school students who played AFL across the state and territory including the 950 teams and 15,000 students who took part in the Paul Kelly Cup.

With new programs established in the coming years including Kinderkick, AFL 9s and Youth Girls, students will have more opportunities to play AFL than ever before.

The 12 new sets of goal posts were installed at Rooty Hill High School, Plumpton Public School, Windsor High School, John Palmer Public School, Seven Hills North Public School, Toongabbie West Public School, Beresford Road Public School, Merrylands High School, Holsworthy Public School, Middleton Grange Public School, Campbelltown North Public School and Glenmore Park Public School.

Schools can apply for new AFL goal posts by contacting the PILA group.