By NICOLE VALICEK
Altona Magic Soccer Club members will be modelling local stores and designers, all in the name of fund-raising for the club. 99556 Picture: SUPPLIED
MEMBERS from the Altona Magic Soccer Club will be swapping training drills for the catwalk when the club hosts a fund-raising fashion event.
The fashion show will be held on Sunday 9 June at the Sheldon Receptions in Sunshine to raise the club’s awareness and important funds for two new strategies.
Club member Sophie Anastasov said the community oriented club has a long history within the community and many successes in the past, including five premier championships.
Its current and permanent home since 1979 has been Paisley Park in Altona.
Ms Anastasov said through its history the club had produced talented players that had gone on to play at A League and Australian international level. She said it was time to transform and refresh the club, but it would need the community support and funding.
“We want to better meet the needs of the local community,” Ms Anastasov said.
She said the club wanted and encouraged more female players to join the club.
“We want to get more women involved in the club and build female teams and have more of a female focus.”
She said they were currently building a strategy to engage more women from the local community to join the sport.
“There a lot of benefits why women want to play soccer. Improved fitness, self-confidence, friendships and I don’t believe we should be excluding women.
“Our fashion parade is one of the activities within that strategy.”
Ms Anastasov said the club also wanted to expand its junior program.
She said over the years there has been a lot of focus placed on the senior teams, but now was the time to put some of it back onto the juniors who are the future of the club.
“The junior program would be focused on both male and females.”
She said the club recognised that different age levels had different skills and wanted to introduce age appropriate programs and ones that built on providing nutritional information and promoted a healthy lifestyle.
The fashion parade will showcase local stores and local designers with outfits accommodating adults and children’s wear.
The boys wear will be modelled by the senior and some of the junior soccer teams.
For more information contact the Altona Soccer Club Lydia 0411 665 667 or Natalie 0411 074 065.
