Country Champs to showcase region’s best juniors

MORE than 20 young aspiring Surf Coast FC players will make the short trip to Ballarat this long weekend, as regional soccer communities from across the state converge for three days of action.

Surf Coast FC president Brett King says 24 Surf Coast FC junior footballers will represent the Geelong region from June 10-12 at three Ballarat-based soccer venues at this year’s Country Soccer Championships.

“We know from our club’s own perspective that participation rates are going up, so it’s not a massive surprise to see that numbers are also increasing for the Country Champs as well.

“It’s great to see more kids putting their hands up for this event and it’s also terrific to see more parents investing into the sport by spending time and effort on their kids who try out for this event.”

In 2022, 48 teams and almost 1,000 competitors played in the Championships.

This year, the Championships are expected to host almost 1,400 players across age groups ranging from Under 11 to Under 18.

This year’s hosts, Ballarat and District Soccer Association, will host players and families from Victorian regional areas such as Bendigo, Geelong, Albury/Wodonga, Gippsland, La Trobe Valley, Mildura, Shepparton and Warrnambool.

“The championships are a great chance for junior regional players to showcase what they have got,” King said.

“The impact for the club is that it’s very rewarding for our coaches, seeing some of their players excel to a point that they can compete in tournaments like this.

“We are going through a bit of a transitional period at the moment at Surf Coast FC, where we were perhaps more of a participation club before COVID-19, and now we’re pushing up towards those more competitive teams.”

All matches this weekend will be played at Morshead Park (Ballarat Regional Soccer Facility), Trekardo Park/Pleasant Street Reserve (Home of Ballarat SC) and Victoria Park (Home of Vic Park SC).