Ladies a focus on Community Weekend
05 May, 2008
Ladies will be the focus of the Willetton versus Wanneroo B Grade Amateurs game on Saturday, May 10.
As the game at Burrendah Park is being played the day before Mother’s Day, Willetton has decided to incorporate its annual ladies day with the Community Weekend celebrations.
Community Football Weekend is being held around the country as we celebrate 150 years of Australian Football and at this game the focus will be on the important role women play in community football.
The terraces surrounding the club will be set up with a refreshment tent and there will be a tent from where the ladies can enjoy the league game.
Wanneroo is also supporting the Community Football Weekend by holding a legends themed function.
Jim Grace from the Willetton Football Club believes that the Amateur League is the best football competition around.
“Our club tries to represent Willetton well,” Grace said.
“And they have done that with wins in the league E grade in 1999 and D grade in 2000. The colts won in 2001 and were eventually promoted to B grade in 2004, winning the premiership that year and again in 2006.?
“The league team, after being relegated to C grade in 2007, won the competition and were subsequently pushed up into B grade for 2008.”
Within the Willetton Amateur Football Club there is a huge focus on supporting not only the junior club but the older players through to the senior club.
“Trying to keep the older participants in the game is a critical part of football,” Grace said.
“Not everyone makes it to the AFL so there must be somewhere to nurture the growth of those who don’t continue on professionally.”
Wanneroo Amateur Football Club will celebrate its 23rd year in the West Australian Amateur Football League this season and they have won six premiership flags and made many finals appearances in that time. This year they are in B grade league, reserve, thirds and colts.
The Wanneroo Showgrounds is their home and in 2005 they had a $170, 000 lighting upgrade and over 1500 people showed up for their first ever night game.
Wanneroo club secretary Russell Burnett said Wanneroo’s main focus was its on-field performance, player welfare and building its standing and support within the community. He also said the club and the league received support from football’s governing body.
“The West Australian Football Commission gives support back to the community and football by sponsoring local junior teams and providing a source of coaches,” Burnett said.
Geoff Burwood from Wanneroo Amateur Football Club also believes this is a great competition, as it gives people the opportunity just to play football. His club has nominated an extra team made up of men who usually can’t train because of work or other commitments, but want to play the great Australian game.
“The competition’s allowance of such a team makes sure that the club retains players, which is a vital part of Amateur Football,” Burwood said.
Past players are a big part of both clubs with two current Fremantle players Brett Peake and Andrew Foster playing for Willetton before being recruited by East Fremantle and then the Dockers. Both players are still keen supporters of the club.
Wanneroo has a number of past players that come down and support the club every week with some even volunteering their time and helping around the ground. They are also renowned for producing recruits for Fremantle, West Perth and the State Amateurs.
Leigh McKnight and Rickie Rogers were both selected in the Amateurs State Team in 2004 and 2005 and the All-Australian Team in 2005. McKnight was also selected as vice-captain and went to Ireland to represent Australia.
