Aspendale Stingrays soccer club has jumped from 150 to 450 members in the past four seasons

THE SKYROCKETING popularity of soccer combined with a ground shortage means a club in Melbourne’s south has to knock back about 100 keen young players every season.

AN explosion in the popularity of soccer in the southeast has one busy club turning away 100 kids every season.

Membership at the Aspendale Stingrays has jumped from 150 to 450 in the past four seasons and the club is bursting at the seams.

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President Derrick Berends said it was in desperate need of a second home ground to cater for existing players and create more teams to accommodate those waiting to join.

The club has a base at Browns Reserve for its U7-U11 teams with the U12 to U18 teams playing home games at Jack Grut Reserve in Mordialloc.

Mr Berends said they were forced to use other grounds including the Parkdale Secondary College pitch for training sessions.

“And we have to pay to use the Parkdale pitch,” he said.

Mr Berends said membership had grown rapidly to 450 (not counting U6 players).

“The club was started in 2005 and until about 2013 we averaged 150 members which was manageable,” Mr Berends said.

“A lot of the players that started with us back in the early days as juniors are now playing for the senior teams. It’s that kind of club, once people join they want to stay.”

Derick Berends and Denis Gough with some of the kids at training in Parkdale. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Mr Berends said soccer had also enjoyed a surge in popularity among females in the past five years.

“The growth in members includes the growing number of girls playing soccer and although we have had to restrict growth at the club in recent years we have always actively encouraged new female players to join,” he said.

The Stingrays received a boost earlier this year with a joint $190,000 grant from Kingston Council and the State Government.

The cash will help pay for new lighting at Jack Grut Reserve, giving the club an extra 15 hours a week of training time and effectively doubling its current access to floodlit grounds.

Mr Berends said while the new lighting was welcome another home ground was needed.

Kingston Council’s City Assets and Environment General Manager Daniel Freer said they were been working closely with the club in an effort to find them suitable local facilities.

“Council is investigating options to provide improved sporting facilities at Kerr Avenue Reserve and will be seeking community feedback on the plans in coming weeks,” he said.

“We are keen to hear from the club, the neighbouring primary school and surrounding residents before finalising any plans for the site.”

Interested community members can give their feedback at yourkingstonyoursay.com.au

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