Pontian Eagles leave Sunday amateur soccer to take up spot in Football SA State League Two
A northern suburbs soccer club says it has ambitious plans for the future after taking the opportunity to move from Sunday amateurs to State League Two this season.
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Northern suburbs soccer club Pontian Eagles is no stranger to a big move, but this could be its most significant step yet.
The Paralowie-based club will make the jump from Sunday amateur soccer to State League Two this season, having claimed the spot vacated by UniSA last month.
President Terry Kalaitsidis said Pontian, which was formed in 1992, had no hesitation in grabbing the opportunity with both hands when it arose.
“We’ve been in the amateurs now for 28 years and we’ve come to the realisation, since we started juniors, that there wasn’t a pathway to the seniors due to being in different competitions,” Kalaitsidis said.
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“It’s been harder and harder to sustain that – having our juniors playing in the federation, but our seniors in the amateurs.
“Now the club has grown and we are financially secure, it made sense to take that next step.”
Pontian will join the Football SA-run competition on an initial one-year licence.
UniSA informed the governing body late last month it would be unable to field teams in State League Two for the 2020 season due to player numbers.
Pontian initially attempted to join Football SA’s men’s competition in 2016 before deeming itself not ready for the move.
The club was originally based at Ridley Grove School in Woodville Gardens until 2009, when it was forced to relocate to make way for development.
It then played its matches at Adelaide Olympic’s Ferryden Park base and the SA Soccer League headquarters at Grange Sports Complex.
In 2013, Pontian moved its entire operations north when it was awarded a lease at Yalumba Drive Reserve in Paralowie, which allowed it to set up a junior program.
Kalaitsidis said the club was ambitious and would not be looking to just “tread water” in State League Two.
“We want to start implementing some structures there to give us some success in the next four or five years,” he said.
“The aim is to try and reach the highest level we can and increase our junior participation.
“But we’re under no illusion that it’s going to be hard work and we have to lay the foundations this year.
“We’ve had to squeeze three or four months of preparation into three or four weeks.
“The following year we hope to be a lot better.”
Pontian will play its first match away to Pirates under lights at Taperoo Reserve on Friday, February 21 before a home match at against Modbury Vista in round two.