Australian Catholic University (ACU) welcomes an expanded relationship with the Fitzroy Football Club, which will see the University as the clubs major partner across both the under 19s and womens teams.

ACU has 34,000 students across seven campuses throughout Australia as well as a campus in Rome. ACU Sport runs a variety of sport, health and wellbeing programs across its campuses including: sports clubs, national university sport competitions, social sport, gyms and fitness classes. ACU Sport programs aim to enrich university life through healthy activities that contribute to studentsoverall wellbeing.

In 2015, ACU decided to sponsor the womens teams as a means to engage female students in AFL and drive community engagement on the Melbourne Campus. Following the successes of the womens teams, with many of them being students at ACU, and the popularity of AFL in Victoria, the expanded relationship is a welcome progression.

Fitzroy Football Club has 135 years of rich history and a culture that is in line with ACUs mission. The expanded relationship means both the womens and mens teams will have greater opportunities to engage with ACUs academic faculties. In particular, the Faculty of Exercise Science offers services such as enhanced access to strength and conditioning programs as well as sports training opportunities.

Fitzroy President, Joan Eddy, said this was wonderful news for the club, which already has a strong working relationship with the University after it came on board as a partner to help the club establish its first and second womens teams in 2015.

ACU had the foresight to back womens footy just as it started to take off at a community level and now were rapt to expand our relationship across teams, including things like working with the Universitys sports science students and utilising some of their wonderful facilities.

For ACU, working with an established club like Fitzroy with 135 years of history and culture, gives the University and its students a unique opportunity to participate in the Victorian Amateur Football Association, and take our part in such an elite competition alongside other Melbourne universities, says Paul McJannett, Director, Student Engagement and Services

Participation in sport plays an integral role in the success of students whilst they are studying and contributes to their health and wellbeing.

Its also an opportunity to contribute to the local community where the main ACU campus is based in inner-suburban Melbourne and provide our students, including those studying sports science, avenues to gain work experience and be involved socially with community football club and all that entails.

Fitzroy Football Club Sponsorship Director, Kevin Sharp believes this was a wonderful example of organisations finding common purpose in the local community. It also goes some way to helping us keep pace with the growing costs required to run the club and give young people living and studying in the local area the opportunity to play footy at an elite amateur level. Its been great working with the ACU team and we look forward to a continued and growing partnership./p>

Details of the clubs sponsors and sponsorship packages can be found at www.fitzroyfc.com.au/sponsorship