The Football Far North Coast pre-season competitions have been in progress for several weeks, but for most, the 2020 football season will commence at the end of March.
Player participation numbers surged past 7000 in each of the past two seasons and every indication is that the game will again dominate team participation sports this year. Team nominations for men’s and women’s competitions have increased, with an extraordinary 92 men’s teams to be graded across nine competitions and 44 women’s teams ready to play in one of five female leagues.
The return of Maclean FC to the region will see the former Men’s Premier champions participate in the top league that will be known as Premier League and the second tier Championship League. The women’s top competition will be called the Women’s Premier League and in a further change to reflect a desire to evolve the brand, each senior competition will be re-badged as “League” rather than Division. Team nominations for the men’s competitions has reached the normal maximum of TEN teams in each of Leagues One to Six, with demand exceeding this number in each of the Championship League and League Seven.
In the week that we celebrate rebel Female Football Week, team nominations for senior female football has exceeded past benchmarks. Although nominations are biased towards the more social levels of football, the introduction of a number of new teams, including Tumbulgum Rangers and the inclusion of Tintenbar East Ballina to a higher league, give more evidence that the game is in a good space. Junior nominations, including MiniRoos, who are the youngest players, is anticipated to see a further 450 teams nominated for season 2020.
Football Far North Coast General Manager, Steve Mackney, says that a current review of the “State of Play” vindicates the investment in resources and a desire to provide a sound framework for football activity in this region. “There is always more to be done and our sport is fortunate to be underpinned by a very strong demand for people to play the game” Mackney stated, “the contribution of volunteers at our 24 member clubs is applauded and the Peak Bodies at local, State and National level, are committed to working collaboratively with stakeholders in a manner that brings more professionalism and support to evolve the game.”
Senior competitions will commence on the weekend of 27/28/29 March and all junior football will have commenced by 2nd May.
Enquiries about registering with a club should be made with highest priority , with registrations lodged online at PlayFootball.
