Swinburne ready to kick goals with Yarra Junior Football League partnership

Swinburne University of Technology is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Yarra Junior Football League (YJFL).

The YJFL is a dedicated junior football league which provides an opportunity for kids between the ages of 7 and 18 across the north-east regions of Melbourne to play junior football.

As a major partner of the league, Swinburne will support the YJFL with research into key areas, such as participation, concussion research, personal development and mental health. 

Swinburne students will also get the chance to undertake placements and internships with the YJFL in the areas of exercise and sport science and sports promotion. The YJFL will be able to access to Swinburne facilities for league events and functions including the league presentation night.

As part of the partnership, Swinburne will become the official sponsor of the new YJFL Podcast available on major podcast platforms Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The podcast provides listeners with an in-depth look into the YJFL community, covering news and information from the league, including updates on league and club events, feature stories about the league's participants and interviews with players, umpires, coaches and volunteers.

Swinburne School of Health Sciences Dean Professor James Ogloff is excited by what Swinburne and the YJFL can achieve off-field together.

"Swinburne is very excited to partner with the Yarra Junior Football League,” he said.

“Swinburne and the Yarra Junior Football League have shared values and the partnership is a perfect fit for us.

“We look forward to working with the YJFL to offer a diverse range of courses, co-designing research projects and professional development opportunities for their community of coaches, parents and players

Professor Ogloff recognises the role both education and community sport play in our lives.

"Community sport is such an important part of children's development and our social fabric,” he said.

“This partnership provides an opportunity for YJFL members to become more aware of opportunities for tertiary education and personal development."

YJFL chief executive Aaron Bailey says he is thrilled to have Swinburne join as a major partner.

"Swinburne is located right in the heart of our YJFL region and their support will help us to continue to grow and develop as a league, while also providing exciting opportunities for our players, coaches, umpires, and volunteers,” he said.

“The YJFL is proud to partner with Swinburne and we are excited by what this partnership can bring to our league in 2023.”