Euroa Junior Soccer Club prepares for maiden season

THE excitement is building as the Euroa Junior Soccer Club prepares for its inaugural season. The first training session, held recently, marked the culmination of months of hard work, planning, and coordination by the small but dedicated team. "It was so great to finally see the result of all the planning come to life and see the kids having an absolute blast," said club coordinator, Yvonne Divers. Admittedly, the session was a little chaotic at first, but once the kids were paired with their team coaches and teammates, things ran much smoother. "We knew it might take a little while for the kids to get settled, but once they were teamed up with their coaches and teammates, everything started to click," Yvonne said. "Seeing the kids have fun and get into the spirit of the game was worth every moment of effort." Yvonne shared a huge 'thank you' to the amazing volunteers who made it all possible. "From coaches and assistant coaches to team managers, admin support, BBQ chefs, and the parents who jumped in to lend a hand, we truly couldn’t do it without them. "I cannot thank the volunteers enough; their dedication has been fantastic, and it’s amazing to see the community come together to support these kids." This year, the club is aiming to have both coaches and assistant coaches for most teams to share the workload and encourage collaboration. While progress has been great, Yvonne said the club could still use 'a couple more coaches' for some of the younger age groups. "The more people we can get involved, the better the experience will be for the kids." Due to the large Tennis Tournament at Friendlies Oval this week, training will have a break, but will resume on Wednesday, 12 March. "We’re lucky to have such a great facility to use for training," Yvonne said. "The caretakers and committee of management have done an exceptional job keeping the oval in top shape, and it’s fantastic for everyone who uses it." Training sessions are held on both Wednesdays and Thursdays, with Thursday sessions specifically reserved for the older teams to enhance their learning and development. This year, the club expects to have 11-12 teams, with three all-girls teams, which Yvonne is especially excited about. "It’s fantastic to see so many girls involved, and I’m proud to see them joining the sport in such numbers," she said. One of the club’s bigger challenges is fundraising. "We started with zero and it’s been a journey, but we’ve been very fortunate to receive equipment support from both the Nagambie Soccer Club and the SJSA," Yvonne said. "We’ve also had several local businesses step up with financial support, and that’s made a huge difference." The club is also in the process of sourcing appropriately sized goals for the older teams. "These goals aren’t cheap – most of them range between $2,000 and $5,000 – but they’re necessary for the kids to train with the equipment they’ll use on competition days." The community response has been overwhelming. "It’s been fantastic to see kids signing up, whether they’re experienced players or new to the sport. "We’ve already had so many positive responses, and it’s exciting to see the kids remain engaged and willing to give the sport a go." The Euroa Junior Soccer Club encourages anyone interested in joining or helping out to come along to a training session or reach out through the club’s Facebook page, whether it be coaching or just helping with the day-to-day running of the club. The club is looking forward to a fantastic first season and can’t wait to see what the future holds for Euroa Junior Soccer Club.