Tonight’s program begins with the Boomerangs FS, that Canberra Futsal Club that is campaigning so successfully in the NSW Futsal Supa League. They have won the club championship, got all 9 teams in the final series and have 4 teams in the Grand Finals this weekend in Sydney.
Boomerangs FS is the best futsal experience for players and families in the ACT, including probably the Nationals. The esprit de corps among the players of all ages and parents is fantastic. The remarkable thing is that Capital Football nor the Futsal Standing Committee had anything worth recording, to do with this most substantial achievement in Futsal in the ACT in many years. Makes you think!
Boomerangs FS is a private initiative by two football / futsal people. They simply took matters into their own hands and demonstrated to all that where there is a will there is a way. We need more of this in ACT Football and Futsal.
Boomerangs FS are now probably one of the most available and rewarding marketing opportunities for business in the ACT, among all our sports clubs / teams in the ACT. Sponsors take note and contact the Boomerangs, you will not be disappointed.
Tonights theme – getting off your backside, demanding more, much more of our peak body Capital Football, doing a little more where you can for the Club your child plays for or the one you support, getting to games, putting your hand in your pocket for a few dollars to help the clubs help young players.
Importantly, make your voice heard with your local MLA and ensure the ACT Government take our very, very large Football / Futsal constituency seriously. You should do it because we are not getting anywhere near enough raw, uncompromising effort from the CF Board. When was the last time you saw some fire and brimstone in support of Football on the CF website, or the CF Board giving a press conference to push the future needs of Football or Futsal in the ACT? We are so meek and mild we at present just what we deserve from the ACT Government. It’s as embarrassing as it is crippling for our game(s).
Capital Football’s strategic document is called “Going For Goals”. How many big ones have we kicked this year and did it factor in the possibility that the ACT Government would liberate $26 million over ten years? Did they go hunting for it? Now that is one big "own goal" for sure. The failure of the “A League For Canberra” bid, a study in betrayal by the FFA, only served to lead the ACT Government towards AFL.
We want something akin to the $26 million over ten years the Minister shelled out to the AFL for a new AFL franchise club in western Sydney, a place where the FFA failed to mobilise a very much larger Football and Futsal constituency. Rest assured the AFL will be in Canberra in force, because they are real good at mobilising AFL clubs to make connections with communities. We haven’t got an A league Club that reckons we are worth the effort.
Very recently, the SBS World Game began a Community Forum in Sydney, one of a number they intend to conduct around Australia. ( http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/videos/18/Experts ) They started in Sydney, the subjects revolved around the A league problems. I have selected some of Craig Foster’s comments to illustrate the underlying issues in our football community. He makes a lot of sense, oozes passion for the game, doesn't "admire" problems and tells it just the way he sees it. Doesn't get any better. And thank goodness for the SBS World Game! You can translate the same themes Foster speaks on in this forum to our ACT Football environment. The key word is “community”. I am still knocked out by Fosters project to establish the Asia Pacific Football Institute, which he makes mention of in the forum.
I hope the SBS World Game forum comes to the Canberra. We need a “forum”. We are the most disabused Football community by the FFA in Australia. I reckon our forum would make fantastic television.
When was the last time you attended a community consultation run by Capital Football? I can tell you - when the CEO and Technical Director of the day lauched the new HPP. It was probably the best thing they did on that subject, then the CF Board got involved. I guess that would dampen anyone's enthusiasm.
When did either Mens’ , Women’s’, Junior Football or Futsal standing committees hold public forums to discuss the game in the ACT?
We should do it. Why don’t the Zone Reps get it organised and invited the CF Board to attend? I’m not fussed about the format as long as the public can attend and participate. What are they scared of??
The CF Board’s response to the Ron Smith HPP review should be explained and discussed with the football community and not at arm’s length through the new Technical Director, Club or Zone reps. The report is now available on the CF Website in the “Library” section, but nothing else.
We just seem to be going not much of anywhere in the bigger picture in either Football or Futsal in the ACT. We are doing what we have always done, which in some respects is fine, but not the full story, surely?
The CF AGM will be held shortly and some Board positions will spill (3). Time people who are not happy at the present time (and there are plenty of them in all the Clubs) got moving and looking for alternative candidates among the many smart and enterprising people in the football community.
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