One of our players, Peter Johnson, has over ten years experience with women’s soccer in Canberra including as coach an over 30s team for most of that time. The team he coached in Canberra were all new players (youngest was 35, oldest was 48) when they started and they built to be a formidable team, winning some competitions and making the semis every year, so he has an understanding of what is required to turn novice players into an effective football team.

In Canberra where they have a Masters competition with 12 teams and another half dozen over 30’s teams in open competition, the bulk of the older players took up the game in their 30s or 40s. Peter is intent on setting up a viable Over 30s competition here. The key to this will be: a focus on attracting women who have never played soccer before, with a sprinkling of experienced players; a non-threatening environment for novice players; a Sunday morning competition when family women in particular don’t have as many commitments; and as low a cost as possible.

Over the next couple of months he will be running informal training/familiarisation sessions around the town at various venues (see below) to give women a chance to try it out. This will be totally non-threatening for new players with a gradual increase in skills. The idea is that if he can get a nucleus of 3 or 4 players in each area he can then build on that through word-of-mouth to get new players along.

If you have friends who may be willing to try it out, please let them know. And if you are interested in playing on a Sunday, probably at Labrador, go along to a sessions yourself to see if you can help get a strong Over 30s competition off the ground. Peter will be the guy in the purple/blue striped soccer shirt with some cones and a few balls.  

 
Schedule of Give it a Try sessions
 Schedule:

17 Feb, 9 March          9:30 Glennon Park, Recreation Drive, Nerang

4:00 Keith Ryan Park, Musgrave St, Labrador

24 Feb, 16 March        9:30 Community Centre Park, Lae Drive, Runaway Bay

                                    4:00 Coomera Sports Park, Beattie Rd, Coomera

2 March, 23 March      9:30 Robina Common, Ron Penhaligon Way, Robina

                                    4:00 Deodar Park, Deodar Drive, Burleigh Waters.

For more information contact Peter Johnson on 0437928016

For the Tweed Women 30+ competition contact Lorraine Ratjens on 0418832915