THIS year will mark a significant occasion in the Surfside Waves Soccer Club\u2019s history as it makes its\u00a0debut in the Football Federation Victoria state league competition.<\/p>\n
Having won the past two FFV Geelong division one titles and following a Football Victoria application, Surfside showed it is ready to make the step up.<\/p>\n
Waves is ready to officially launch its senior pre-season on January 19 as it embarks on its state league campaign.<\/p>\n
Surfside Waves Soccer Club president Mike Sutton said this was the biggest thing in the club\u2019s 24-year history from a footballing sense.<\/p>\n
He added not only would it give the club a chance of attracting higher quality players but also allow it to retain promising youngsters, given it can now provide the necessary pathway.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re pretty proud,\u201d Mr Sutton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to attract players … but more importantly we want to keep the young guys coming through\u00a0who are looking for that state league challenge, or they want to play National Premier League.<\/p>\n
\u201cPreviously, if they wanted to be able to do that they\u2019d need to go somewhere else, and we were\u00a0eager to close that gap.\u201d<\/p>\n
Surfside Waves enters the fifth tier of Football Victoria\u2019s state league competition, with the hope of\u00a0rising up the ranks in the coming years.<\/p>\n
While it is an extremely exciting venture for the club, Mr Sutton stressed it would continue to have a\u00a0vested interested in the Geelong competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re also 100 per cent committed to the Geelong competition, that\u2019s the backbone of our club.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just want to represent the Ocean Grove area in the best way possible.\u201d<\/p>\n