Above: Healesville Football Club president, Greg Hay, left, gets a handle on the round-ball game from Healesville Soccer Club president Barry Cripps and Under 14 players Gemma Cowling and Hayley Wilson.By Kath Gannaway
SATURDAY was a landmark occasion for Healesville Soccer Club (HSC).
The club played its first game at the Healesville Sporting Complex after years of lobbying for a home-ground and often difficult negotiations with both Healesville Football Club (HFC), which has lost its second oval to the round-ball code, and the Shire of Yarra Ranges which is responsible for the complex.
HSC president Barry Cripps was beaming to see the three soccer pitches alive with action, and supporters in their droves along the sidelines.
Bart Yuncken, whose three boys play soccer, said the move would galvanise the club, which has, up to now, played on grounds at Queen’s Park in Healesville and at Yarra Glen.
“A lot of these kids played at Yarra Glen so this is the first time the club has played together and it’s sensational for the players and for the parents,” he said.
“I ran into people on Saturday who didn’t know my boys played soccer. For the first time we’re a club, not just a bunch of kids playing soccer here there and everywhere.”
HFC president Greg Hay came down to extend his congratulations and while applauding the move as being good for sport generally, found it difficult to be totally enthusiastic.
“I’m a firm believer there is a place in town for soccer; you just have to look at all the people here. If you go to the junior football, it’s the same – it’s all about people playing sport.”
Both agree there have been teething problems but say they will work through them.
“We still haven’t got lights on our oval which we’ve been promised since the end of March,” said Mr Hay.
He said with the end of daylight saving, lights are needed for mid-week practice.
There are also six Saturdays on which the soccer and football are scheduled to play at Don Road, once again leaving the soccer club without changing rooms as well as creating potential problems with gate takings.
“To make it all happen everybody has to be flexible,” Mr Cripps said.
So, what about a ‘friendly’ – soccer or football – between the clubs?
“No, I just can’t see it,” Mr Hay didn’t hesitate.
Mr Cripps is in full agreement on that one.
