Pumped up for the season’s start

by Torin Chen

THE trophy cabinet at Austral Soccer Club is almost full after the club captured six titles in last year’s Southern Districts Soccer Football Association competition.

The club, which is based at Scott Memorial Park, will be looking to capture more trophies when the new season starts next month.

Austral teams made seven grand finals in 2009 and won six titles including the under-9s (division 3 mixed), under-11s (division 13), under-14s (division 2 boys), under-15s (division 3 boys), all age (division 3 boys) and all age (division 10 boys).

The under-9s (division 6 mixed) were runners-up.

This season the club will field 44 teams including 13 boys teams from the under-10s to under-17s, five girls teams from the under-12s to under-18s, three all age men’s teams and one all age women’s team.

They will also have 22 mini teams in the under-5s to 9s.

Austral secretary Rosa Clima said more and more boys and girls are joining the club each year.

``It’s fantastic to see these numbers and it’s great to see how they still enjoy the game,’’ Clima told the Leader.

``We have more girls teams this year than we had last year, we’ve got two extra girls teams this season.’’

The mini teams train once a week for one hour while teams from the under-10s and above train twice a week on Wednesday and Thursdays.

All of the club’s coaches are volunteers.

Clima said the club’s success across all age groups in 2009 took the club by surprise.

``We did have a few teams which made grand finals and it was a fantastic result,’’ she said.

``It just shows how committed the players, coaches and parents are to the club.’’

For more information about Austral visit the website australsoccerclub.com.au

http://liverpool-leader.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/pumped-up-for-the-seasons-start/