Brindabella Blues have become one of the first clubs in the country to achieve three-star Club Changer Status, the highest award available under the scheme.

Club Changer is Football Australia’s Club Development Program which aims to protect and enhance our clubs, make them stronger and more resilient, lead them in building welcoming and inclusive cultures, and educate them on positive environments for players, coaches, volunteers, and officials while planning for long term viability and success.

In this Q&A Capital Football chatted to Tina McLeary of Brindabella Blues about the Award and what it means to the club.

How has club changer helped your club? 

Club Changer gave us a clear framework and direction. It helped us move from doing things reactively to planning proactively — setting goals, documenting our processes, and ensuring we were aligned with the relevant policies and procedures. Through the modules and support, we’ve strengthened how we operate — from governance and safeguarding to volunteer management, and community engagement. Club Changer has changed how we think, we no longer see compliance or planning as a chore; it’s how we make sure the club keeps getting stronger and more inclusive every year.

What have you been focusing on delivering this year? 

One of our biggest focuses this year has been growing opportunities for women and girls. We are working behind the scenes on developing a Mini BlueBelles program — a fun, introductory football experience for young girls. We are hoping this will strengthen the pathway from those early years through to our senior women’s teams (named the Bluebelles). We’ve also worked on creating safe, supportive spaces for female players and coaches, and ensuring women are represented across leadership roles within the club. We’ve been really deliberate about creating quality experiences for every player — not just at the elite level, but across all age groups. Our Junior Summer Kickers program is an example — it gives kids an affordable, social, non-competitive environment to build skills and stay active outside the main season. We’ve also placed more emphasis on coaching development and consistency across age groups to ensure every player gets a positive experience.

Why did you choose to progress to 3-star? 

We didn’t want to just run a football club — we wanted to build one that lasts. Moving to 3 stars was about setting a higher standard for how we operate — making sure we have strong governance, safe environments, and inclusive opportunities for everyone who wears our colours. It’s about being proactive, professional, and accountable — not just to Capital Football, but to our players, volunteers, and the wider community. The Club Changer framework gave us a clear pathway for improvement. After achieving 1 and 2 stars, we realised how much stronger and more organised the club had become — and that momentum pushed us to go all the way. The 3-star level challenges you to look at every aspect of your club — from leadership and safeguarding, to diversity, development, and sustainability — and we saw that as an opportunity to keep growing.

What are you planning to focus on for 2026? 

Volunteers are the heart of Brindabella Blues, so we’ve focused on making their experience easier and more rewarding. That’s included simplifying systems, creating clearer roles, introducing recognition initiatives, and ensuring every volunteer feels valued and supported. We’ve also worked hard on governance — refining our documentation, policies, and planning calendars so the club runs smoothly and sustainably. We’re planning to focus on improving our facilities and training environments to support the growth in participation. That includes working with the ACT Government to ensure safe, high-quality playing spaces, lighting, and equipment — because great experiences on the field start with great environments off it.

What areas of your club have you improved in line with values and behaviours?

We’ve made a conscious effort to build a culture based on respect and positive behaviour — on and off the field. This has included educating our players, coaches, and spectators about the standards we expect, introducing positive sideline behaviour messaging, and celebrating teams that demonstrate sportsmanship, not just results. We’ve also strengthened our governance and accountability in line with Club Changer values. Committee meetings are more structured and transparent, we’ve improved documentation and decision-making processes, and we regularly review our policies to ensure they reflect fairness and integrity. These changes have created a more professional and stable foundation for our club’s future.

What advice do you have for other clubs wishing to grow and develop?

The Club Changer journey can seem big, but you don’t have to do everything at once. Pick one or two focus areas each season — like governance, inclusion, or safeguarding — and build gradually. Use the tools, templates, and checklists they are there to guide and support you.

Congratulations to Brindabella Blues for achieving the three-star Club Changer Award. Who’s going to be next?