Helensvale State High School and Logan Lightning FC are set to join forces in a new partnership

Helensvale State High School and Logan Lightning FC are set to join forces in a new partnership which could deliver even more Coast talent to the National Premier League system.

HELENSVALE State High School and Logan Lightning FC are set to join forces in a new partnership which could deliver even more Coast talent to the National Premier League system.

The school and club have established a sponsorship agreement which will see Helensvale’s Football Academy have access to Logan facilities, technology, coaching staff and training sessions, all aimed at establishing a pathway between school and club football.

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Up to 60 per cent of Logan’s NPL women’s program consists of Helensvale female players, including 11 of the 15 players involved in winning the 2019 Under-15 NPL women’s title, prompting the club to foster an official relationship.

Helensvale football academy head coach Lachlan McDonell said the enhanced exposure of students to NPL coaches will ultimately provide a far greater opportunity for Helensvale Football Academy members to transition into the NPL system.

Helensvale State High School is privileged to establish a relationship with Logan Lightning Football Club. Signing a sponsorship offer is Nick Croyden (right) from Logan Lightning FC and Principal Karen Lindsay (left).

“We want to improve the pathway to the NPL system and we’ve already got a significant proportion of girls there but ideally we can now get more boys there,” he said.

“Logan are really catering for the Northern Gold Coast growth area.

“There’s probably players who haven’t been exposed as well as they could’ve been to the next level of football so I think they can unearth some diamonds in the rough.”

Logan Lightning Football Operations Manager Nick Croyden hoped more Helensvale students would choose to further their football careers at Logan with a National Premier League women’s pathway already established and the club leading the Football Queensland Premier League.

The club already has similar partnerships with two local schools.

“For us, it’s a great opportunity to show our community what our beliefs and in return, some players might want to play for us moving forward,” he said.

“I held a few sessions at the school (on Friday) and I thought there was a lot of talent in the area but I walked away from training even more excited about the talent on display.”