Contrast on the coast in soccer funding
| December 10th, 2010

THEY may only be a short drive apart, but the contrast between the facilities at Surf Coast Soccer Club and Surfside Waves could not be more stark.

State League club Surf Coast could soon boast one of the best soccer precincts in western Victoria if stage two of the club's master plan gets off the ground.

But it's a far different story at Surfside Waves.

The Ocean Grove-based club is so crippled by insufficient facilities that some home matches have been transferred, training is often cancelled and women change in the tight confines of their cars.

Surf Coast Soccer Club is the envy of most clubs around the region.

It will have a new FIFA 2 standard artificial pitch in time for next season as part of a multi-million dollar new base in Torquay's industrial area.


The GRFA club has made initial contact with council about getting much-needed temporary change rooms to ease the strain for more than a dozen junior and senior teams.

Currently, the club has one change room and it is shared by all teams. There are no provisions for females.

Burgess, a club stalwart, said juniors were often forced to play home matches at away venues to preserve the club's home grounds in winter.

In a welcome boost, Surfside will receive $1000 for every goal Melbourne Heart scores for the rest of the season under Westpac's Heart 2 Heart initiative.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/12/10/231891_local_sports.html