With training and practice matches beginning to ramp up, excitement continues to bubble over on the playground as the first bounce draws ever near.
From Auskick right up to under-17 and youth girls’ football, there continues to be plenty of opportunities to get involved at the grassroots level at Echuca, Echuca United and Moama this year.
Echuca junior football president Justin Hatfield said getting the club’s junior program back up and running in 2021 was of great concern.
“For the club as a whole, juniors are the most important part; they’re the future of the club,” Hatfield said.
“And more than that, it’s great to see the kids back and exercising and enjoying being with their mates. They’ve all got big smiles on their faces.”
At Echuca United, junior president Daryl Poole had felt a similar buzz around Echuca South oval as kids return to the club.
“Just to see our under-10s and 12s running around, you’ve got the youth girls around the oval, obviously everyone is social distancing but it’s good to see heaps of action on the footy field,” Poole said.
And with the continued boom of the women’s game, Poole said the Eagles were enthusiastically building up the foundations of its youth girls team.
“It doesn’t matter if you hadn’t picked up a football before, we just want to provide a fun and inclusive environment where girls want to come back again because they have enjoyed themselves,” Poole said. “If anyone is interested, come on down.”
With Moama Recreation Reserve receiving a major facelift to its facilities, Magpies junior president Ben Hearn said both players and parents were doubly excited to step foot back in the clubhouse.
But with teams settled across different leagues with contrasting start dates, Hearn said the club was working hard to find the right balance in its return to training.
“We’ve kicked off training with different age levels, but we’re doing it in a step fashion,” Hearn said.
“We don’t want kids training too far out of the season.
“The main thing for us is participation. Getting girls and boys back playing footy and involved in a team sport.”
With numbers building as the season fast approaches, clubs are continuing to recruit both players and volunteers right up to the first siren.
“Just getting involved and having an active involvement with your kids sport – there is plenty of reward from that; don’t miss out on that opportunity,” Poole said.
“Anyone who wants to be more involved, come down and get the kids involved,” Hatfield added.
“Just make yourselves known. We can find a spot for them.”
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