Like Gary Ablett and Tom Scully before him, under-14 footballer Lachlan is one of the first players to commit to the Burnside Heights Football Club. 71236 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Liam Twomey
FORGET the Gold Coast, forget Greater Western Sydney, there is only one new football team in town that people need to focus on.
Introducing the Burnside Heights Football Club.
Wearing orange and black, the new franchise will join either the Western Region Football League or the Essendon District Football League in a junior capacity for the 2012 season. Interim president Justin Peagram said it was an exciting time to be part of the new team.
“Everything with the club is full steam ahead at the moment,” he said.
“The club has been officially registered and we are in a position where we are literally building the club from the ground up.”
Demand for football in the Burnside Heights area is high with neighbours, and possible rivals, St Albans and Caroline Springs bursting with players.
That being the case, the signs for the new kids on the block look promising.
“The council has put signs up at the ground and at the local schools and we received interest from about 40 kids. Given that it is the off-season that is a huge bonus,” Peagram said.
“Last year 220 kids did Auskick at the ground under the Hillside banner. Most kids tend to stay at their local grounds for Auskick as they don’t have allegiances yet so we would be expecting to get about 100 kids in Auskick.”
The club is aiming to have between three and five junior teams for 2012 and build from there.
“Realistically, seniors are a way off. We know the best way to get there will be to build up through the juniors and then progress through to 16s, 18s and then seniors,” Peagram said.
There are a number of ways for people to find out more details on joining the club in 2012.
The Melton Council has set up a page on their website where people can go to register their details and they will receive the relevant information, www.melton.vic.gov.au/BHFC.
Interested parties can also attend the club’s annual general meeting on 11 October from 6.30pm at the Burnside Heights Community Centre.
“We really need all sorts of people to get this club started, it’s not just players,” Peagram said.
“We will be looking for junior coaches for teams anywhere between under-9s and under-15s.”
Any parents out there who would like to join the committee or help out any other way would be great.”
“Any experience or no experience, it doesn’t matter, everyone is welcome.
