Victory’s Billy Celeski with junior players from the Point Cook Soccer Club and the signed soccer ball that was raffled off on the night. 81711
By ADEM SARICAOGLU
POINT Cook Soccer Club was buzzing recently when Melbourne Victory midfielder Billy Celeski came to visit and take charge of training.
More than 100 people turned up for the night, which was organised through Point Cook’s involvement with Club Victory, a program that keeps close ties between the two clubs.
Club secretary Samantha Smith said the night went very well.
“Billy was fantastic with the kids and showed a lot of interest, he tried to relate what they were doing in their training back to what they do in the A-League,” Smith said.
“We had some autographs and some photo sessions with him, and we had a raffle which was a signed ball that the Melbourne Victory had donated.
“Billy drew out the winner for that and there was lots of excitement.
“We were able to raise about $1000 for the club, so that will obviously go back into the club and be used for equipment and that sort of stuff.”
Celeski’s visit coincided with Point Cook juniors being selected to take part in the ball squad for last Saturday night’s friendly between Victory and Greek club Olympiacos at Etihad Stadium, which was another opportunity made possible by the Club Victory connection.
“It’s an exclusive club that we feel very privileged to be a part of and it’s something that we can use within the area to help promote our club,” Smith said.
The club was established in 2008 with just 54 players but now boasts 19 teams from under 9s to 16s, including one girls team.
By next year the club hopes to have a senior team when it moves into the newly developed Saltwater Reserve, which will feature soccer pitches, as opposed to the oval currently being used by the club.
“There currently are no soccer pitches at all in Point Cook,” Smith said.
“That’s been our home for the last three years, so we’re very excited to be moving down there and obviously it gives us the option of bringing in the senior team because we’ll have the facilities to meet the requirements from the football federation.”
The club will be meeting with council in late June to discuss the plan’s progression.
“We’ll have three soccer pitches at Saltwater Reserve, we’ll have our own pavilion and our own car park and it will be the first time we’ll actually play on genuine soccer pitches,” Smith said.
“We’re pretty sure that what we’re getting at Saltwater Reserve will tick all the boxes and obviously we need to just check-off all of that.”
