Glenunga Football Club looks to Margaret Bond Oval as junior female numbers boom
AN eastern suburbs football club wants access to an oval used by a local soccer club following an “extraordinary” recruitment boom which has delivered more than 160 new female junior players in the past two years.
GLENUNGA Football Club wants access to an oval used by a local soccer club following an “extraordinary” recruitment boom which has delivered more than 160 new female junior players in the past two years.
Glenunga secretary Ben Stapleton said the Rams were “bursting at the seams” and would hold talks with Burnside Council about regular access to the next-door Margaret Bond Oval for Fridays and Sundays next season.
But Old Ignatians Soccer Club – a tenant of Margaret Bond Oval since the 1990s – has some concerns.
It is especially worried about extra use adding to wear and tear on the pitch.
Mr Stapleton said facilities at its Webb Oval home had been stretched to the limit with 626 junior players on its books and 162 female competitors recruited over the past two years.
“Two years ago, the number was zero,” Mr Stapleton said.
“The growth in recent years has been extraordinary. We’ve essentially outgrown the facility (at Webb Oval) – we’re bursting at the seams. The demand is going to continue.”
Mr Stapleton said 25 of its junior teams could not play at Webb Oval because of the logjam, forcing the club to use Seymour College, Victoria Park and Langman Reserve.
“Facilities are quite poor at the other ovals,” he said.
Glenunga pays a hire fee of $3600 to Old Ignatians for two hours on Friday nights during the season so that junior players train at Margaret Bond.
Old Ignatians president Nick Tallarida told the Eastern Courier Messenger he expected to hold discussions soon with Glenunga over a possible arrangement.
“It’s great their club is expanding, but it shouldn't be at the detriment of another,” Mr Tallarida said.
“It’s a conversation with council staff on what the pitch can actually take – it’s quite worn with a month left of the soccer season.
“Not many soccer clubs just hand their grounds to footy clubs, as you’re looking at different expectations with turf.”
There was a chance, he said, that Glenunga could use the ground on Sunday afternoons.
Burnside council member Anne Monceaux said the region was “desperate for more ovals”.