'.r\ MARI ST CAN BERRA s FOOTBALL CLUB THE BLUE AND BLUE 2007 Soccer he 2007 Committee's year commenced with the usual players and the opportunity for them to participate at the frenetic pre-season planning activities and workshops. highest levels of soccer in the ACT. It has also provided an TThis year also saw the addition of new work undertaken opportunity and a default path for Marist Old Boys to continue by a special sub-committee. The sub-committee was asked to to play football in the senior league, either at t11e elite levels hold discussions with a number of senior men's league clubs (a number were selected for the Pathways Under 23 and two that had approached the Marist Canberra Soccer Club with the did go on to play for the Olympic Premier side), or as part of purpose of forming a relationship (more on this topic later). new or existing Olympic sides in the ot11er divisions wit11in Post ew Year activities once again started with the the Men's league. Development and Skills squads (thanks once again to Chis In line witl1 t11is new Capital Football initiative, season Tanzey and his tea.in, and Jack Kynaston), that lead into a 2008 will see the introduction of a Premier Youth Under 16 tightly packed calendar of player grading, pre-season games competition.Tl1is will require a large and ongoing commitment and competitions. from Marist Soccer so as to ensure that this opportunity for The conclusion of registration, grading and tean1 selection our players can continue into the fun1re and be expanded to activities found the club with an overall increase in both player include the proposed Premier Youth Under 14 competition in and tean1 numbers from last year. For season 2007, registrations 2009. totalled over 440 (up from 390), while the number of teams On behalf of the Mari.st occer Club, I would like to t11ank formed was up four, to a record thirty-four teams. the chairman and committee of the Canberra Olympic Soccer On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank all who Club, and the board of the Hellenic Sports Club for t11eir were involved in the Registration, Grctding and Team Selection commitment to this new relationsl1ip and their support in tl1is process as this is usually a highly emotive and sensitive process inaugural year. for both players and parents. I would particularly like to thank Rene Vandenbroucke,Angela Waldon and Eric Hynes for their The 2007 Season efforts during this process. The modified rules :u1d reduced field format that wa I would also like to thank t11e volunteer coaches and initiated three years ago by Capital Football, moved into the Under 12 age group this season. Wit11 the large number of managers who took on the mantles of guiding these teams this teams involved across the Under 11 and 12 age groups, Capital year, for without their support it would be impossible for t11e Football modified the starting times of a number of the younger club to put teams onto the field. age groups. This kept club, team officials and parents on their As with previous years, a number of age group squads had toes, keeping up with the required field changes through t11e a full weekend in Sydney for the Intercity Cup Competition.As different Saturday time slots. well as games against the orth Sydney Bears and a number of On behalf of the club and committee, I would like to thank other teams that visited the AIS facilities, players also enjoyed all who provided their support in the etting up and taking swin1ming and rope climbing activities. down of the fields through the season. The MARSEC Shield saw a very close competition with Even with these time changes :u1d all of t11e other imposed St Eddies this year, with results going either way. But once changes from Club and Capital Football, plus keeping track again a successful defence by Mari.st saw Mr Sidorko raise the of Marist Rugby's field requirements during the season, our MARSEC Shield. A number of teams also took advantage of Grounds Coordinator,Jim Bowring was still able to place home other carnivals and pre-season games to gain valuable grading teams on fields. and playing experience. Our referees have also done anot11er sterling job in The thanks and gratitude of the club goes to all who were supporting our teams, with referee scheduling, training and involved in organising and/or arranging these opportunities for (when required) counselling once again being ably managed our players and teams. I must specifically mention and thank and provided by Peter Verdon and family. Judy Hall, Suzette Thompson, Phil Aungles and Eric Hynes for their work coordinating the pre-season activities. I would like to thank both Jim and Peter for the outstanding work they have done this year. Affiliation The first part of the season seemingly flew by and we I mentioned at the start of this report, that at the end of were suddenly at the mid-year holiday break.As witl1 previous last year the club had been approached by a number of senior years, a number of Mari.st teams (and tl1eir fanillies) took up league clubs with the view of forming a relationship.This was the challenge of the Kanga Cup. Marist was represented from in line with Capital Football's proposed modification of the the Under 11 to Under 18 age groups and once again had a Men's Premier League competition to only include clubs that number of near misses for final appearances. could field a Men's Premier, a Premier Pathways Under 23 and Congratulations go to our Under 15 Division 1 side who a Premier Youth Under 18 team. were runners up after being piped in the Kanga Plate final, in a After a lot of work by members of the Marist Committee penalty shoot-out by one of the overseas representative sides. (lead by Phil Aungles) and following the review and approval All our sides played well and a number enjoyed games against of the College, the Marist Canberra Soccer Club signed a top local,Australian and international teams. memorandum of understanding wit11 the Canberra Olympic I will also make particular mention of a combined Under 10 Soccer Club. side that returned from a September trip to Young (ilappy, but This new affiliation will provide benefits to our junior extremely tired) after playing six games in a day, under full field 199 competition rules and having made it through to the finals, All donations financial, ervices or materials and whether they finished as runners-up after a penalty shoot-out. they are either small or large, are all vitally important to the Various team and club events were held during the season. club. I particularly welcome and thank both the Hellenic This year's Marist Club Dinner was enjoyed by all and I thank Sports Club and Canberra Olympic for their donations, which the organiser and all who attended for supporting the club. will allow the club to increa e teams' access to Chris Tanzey By season's end, the Marist Soccer Club had a number of teams and other specialist coaching services next season. who were successful in the variou ACT wide Capital Football competitions. In conclusion To the players leaving the College this year, I thank you for On behalf of the club, I congratulate the First XI, our playing your football with Marist and I hope you can continue Olympic-Marist Premier Youth Under 18's, for reaching third your association with soccer for many years to come. To the place in the inaugural Premier Youth 18 competition after players, parents and fantilies who will be with the club next going down in a penalty shoot-out. Congran1lation also go to year, I hope everyone will be back next season refreshed and the team's coach, am Caggiano and manager, Martin Gladwish full of enthusiasm and energy. for their leadership of the team. As can be (unforrunately) vouched for by the Under 15 Div 1 side in the Kanga Cup and As I step down from the role of President after four year , our Under lO 's who played at Young, penalty shoot-out finals my ongoing wish for the club as a whole is, may it continue to were not good to Marist teams this year. grow and prosper for the benefit of current and fun1re players. May the relationship with Canberra Olympic strengthen and I also congranllate the Under 14 Division 3 Marist Sky team, develop to mutual benefit and the benefit of our junior player their coach Bruce McKenzie and manager Roger Bernabe for and the Marist Old Boys who continue their football at the becoming this year's champions in their competition (and that next level. was with two rounds remairling in their draw). I wish all of you, players, committee member , team officials Three Marist teams were also runners up in their respective and parents, all the best for the future. competitions and I congranllate the Under 14 Division 1, Under 13 Division 1 and Under 13 division 2 Blue teams and their respective coaches and managers for their success. Our Under Richard Barrington-Knight 13 Division 2Yellow ide ju t mi sed out on a runners-up spot, President (retired), finishing just one point behind the second placed team. Marist Canberra Soccer Club. At the end of this sea on in the twenty-three ACT Age/ Divi ion competitions that Mari t side participated in (that is, that have results tables), Marist teams finished fifth or higher in twelve of them.Thi is an excellent re ult for a club of Marist's size.