New Bishop Druitt College team in NCF draws criticism from Coffs clubs

‘Gobsmacked’: Decision to allow private school-backed teams met with dismay from clubs as administration says it was well within its rights to keep plans secret.

Coffs City United Lions volunteer of 30 years Noel Goodworth says he was "gobsmacked" when told of North Coast Football's decision to introduce a new club backed by private school Bishop Druitt College. Photo: Tim Jarrett

Sections of the Coffs Harbour football community are up in arms after a decision was made to introduce a private school-backed club into the region without their knowledge.

The head of North Coast Football, Andrew Woodward, has tried to allay fears the new club – Bishop Druitt College Barracudas – will not take players away from existing clubs after he received a letter from concerned clubs.

The BDC Barracudas will enter the Under 6 and Under 7s competitions with a view to expansion in future years.

The letter, written on behalf of nine clubs in the region, outlines a series of concerns including the lack of consultation and the impact the new team would have on existing clubs’ ability to attract new players.

There is also a concern over the capacity for volunteer run clubs to compete with a private school-backed entity, given the services and facilities at its disposal.

While BDC can’t directly fund the club it has indicated it could offer its facilities for use, which also include an indoor sports centre, free of charge.

“They should be given a red card”

Noel Goodworth can’t understand why the decision was made to introduce a new team and why none of the member clubs were told about it. Photo: Tim Jarrett

Noel Goodworth has volunteered for the Coffs City United Lions for 30-odd years and says he felt “insulted” by the decision and the governing body should be “looking after the clubs that made it what it is”.

While appreciative of good work done by NCF to guide the sport through the pandemic, he just “cannot fathom” how the decision would benefit the sport, with the potential for the new club to “white ant” existing ones.

“I just feel so cheated,” he said. “I can’t understand why this came out without any consultation.”

“We have put in countless hours to make the association what it is, why would they even consider bringing in a private school?”

“They should be given a red card.”

The Advocate has spoken to several clubs and at least two have changed their stance since the letter was sent to NCF, believing now that BDC and the new club can help grow the game.

However, the majority remained opposed and were united in the view they should have been included in the process.

“The best interests of the entire game”

North Coast Football general manager Andrew Woodward says there is room for a new club with the region’s population expected to grow in the coming years.

When asked why NCF kept the plans from the clubs, general manager Andrew Woodward said the organisation “followed the procedure” in making the decision and they must operate “in the best interests of the entire game”.

“We have a zone committee that is elected by members to make decisions and follow the constitution and that process was followed,” he said.

“The power to admit teams into the zone rests with the zone committee members.

“We believe it’s in the best interests of the game to grow the entire number of people playing football.”

Mr Woodward pointed to population growth and BDC’s “incremental entry” into the competition as reasons why it would not impact clubs and said data suggests there is “plenty of room” for another club.

He said by 2031 the Coffs Harbour region was projected to grow by almost 15 per cent and he expected most of the kids who joined the club would come from the school, which had a small “market share” of 6 and 7-year-olds.

“All clubs have something different to offer, there are a lot of kids who like to play where their brothers, sisters or mum and dad play and based on our experience and looking at what has happened when a school-based team has entered the number of players playing football has grown as a whole,” he said.

“They will be bringing in kids into the game who wouldn’t have played and we think that is a good thing.”