Draw your own conclusion

[midfielder]

I ask you to read the following two articles in the Blacktown Advocate (news limited publication) this week.

One is about junior football and  the other about junior rugby league (in rugby league heartland).

Draw your own conclusions, me thinks maybe RL is in more trouble that meets the eye.

First the Football story

http://www.blacktownadvocate.com.au/article/2008/01/29/1978_sports.html

CHRISTINE O'MALEY

29Jan08

Teresa Yuol, 14, from Blacktown, was one of many migrant girls fine-tuning their soccer skills during free holiday clinics at Campbell Park, Blacktown. Picture: Isabella Lettini IT was the girls' turn to kick some goals at local soccer clinics last week.

Dozens flocked to Campbell Park to polish their skills and meet fellow African-born soccer enthusiasts.
Girls and younger boys were invited along for the second week of the free clinics, funded by Blacktown Council, Blacktown's Migrant Resource Centre and Football United.Adhieu, 14, came from Lidcombe with her sister Yom, 16.
Soccer, for these girls, is a passion not just a hobby, and there are no free clinics in their area.

Blacktown teenager, Teresa Yuol, rocked up a little late but couldn't wait to get her boots on and have a kick.
Showing off skills she hopes will get her into local representative side the Blacktown Spartans later this year, Teresa was all smiles at the prospect of playing at the next level.

None of it would be possible without the volunteers who offer their time and patience to teach local migrants the skills of the game. Local Sudanese dad and former representative player, Justin China, said he offered his time throughout the year because the local children were so eager to learn.

"These kids are really wiling to have their career in soccer, so this program really helps them a lot. Because they come from different places we need to put them in the right direction," he said. "What I can see from them is that they love soccer, very much."

To see how good they are go to www.blacktownadvocate.com.au

Now the league story

http://www.blacktownadvocate.com.au/article/2008/01/29/1980_sports.html

Players feel out of favour

CHRISTINE O'MALEY

Tuesday 29 January, 2008 12:00am

A NEW rule could jeopardise Blacktown PCYC's chances of becoming the first in the Parramatta district with a full fleet of rugby league teams.

The youth club hopes to field teams from under-6 to 17s this year, but instead of paving the way, the Parramatta junior league board is clamping down on a player restriction rule.According to junior league executive officer Terry Rose, no one who has played in the Parramatta district for two years prior can join a new club in its first two years for the protection of existing clubs.

"I've got 21 clubs to protect. It's not an issue of favouring. Any new club we bring into the district we put restrictions on them otherwise they come in and jeopardise other clubs," he told the Advocate."The emphasis is to register players who haven't played before or attract them from other districts and other sports." But Steve Warrick, the PCYC's volunteer football co-ordinator, said an exemption should be made or dozens of players will leave the district.

"We understand it's a rule but the problem we have is that these kids don't want to be where they are. I'm driven by parents, and parents are the ones who want to bring their kids to this club," he said. "They're allowed to go to any other club in Parramatta but just not their PCYC because its new, or go to another district. To me, that doesn't make sense."

Blacktown resident Sharlene Mobley didn't like the way her five-year-old son Jordan was treated at another local club so is desperate to get him into the PCYC.

"It's a drug and alcohol free zone and I want my son to get to know the police," she said.
If he can't play for the youth centre, "My son won't play", she added. Mr Warrick's initial appeal to the district board has been rejected.

He is in the process of another appeal, which will be accompanied by a petition. "I do see the reason for it but at the end of the day i think the players are more important than the politics," Mr Warrick said.

The season kicks off in March but a response from the board isn't expected until the end of February.

 

[Pete]

Under that Parramatta RL rule, if you set up a new club, where the f**k are you going to source your players from? North Sydney!!? Doesn't make sense if an Association needs to revamp it's comps.

Sometimes it happens that a few families or groups of friends will choke the administration of one junior club and people will drift away, feeling they don't get a fair go & they may even go as far as to form another club. If a club becomes so 'on the nose' that people want to leave, why have them protected by such a stupid rule?

The Association should be trying to keep all their players in the District, but if players from one club like the idea of a new club, they can't go to it!

Parents, if they are keen on the principles of PCYC, might enquire about what OTHER  sports are available to them through the PCYC, and the players could end up lost to RL. Sounds like a contrived rule to protect certain unpopular club administrators that have the ear of the District Association, and one that may end up driving kids away.

Good story about the Football clinics tho. Only wished the editor had substituted the word 'soccer' with Football.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Ah, Rugby League, is that the sport run by the genius's who gave us the Northern Eagles and then decided to ignore the CC altogether until it was too late and we had taken their market??

Keep up the good work!!

 

[SNOWMARINER]

It's great to read reports that Rugby League is starting to build the foundations for a future second Sydney A-League team. All in good time but personally I'd prefer to see it after  GC, Townsville and Wollongong are up and running.

You've got to love'em. Their commitment to the cause is unmistakeable. Now we just need the same attitude from the AFL  in Melbourne to help football out.