Sydney Hills Football Association

[jaymz]

Sounds like the hills football comp is going ahead. Saw this on the Sydney hills football association (SHFA) Facebook page (website is a bit hard to find but its http://sydneyhillsfootball.com.au).

 

I've contacted them and found the following info for anyone interested. Apparently insurance will cover wage loss and all age men's are played sat arvos, there will be a min of 7 all age divisions although they are getting enquires on a daily basis so think there will be more.

 

Grading tournament is in March and they offer re grading after the first few rounds (something my old comp gladesville didn't do).

 

They have said they are of the belief a few more clubs will join their association. Anyone have any info on what clubs are considering coming over?

 

 

 

REGISTRATIONS FOR 2016

 

As we posted on the 19 November the Sydney Hills Football Association Clubs are planning on commencing registrations on the 1st December 2015 which will be mainly "on line" and you will need to check your club website for details.

 

Clubs who will be playing with the Hills Association are:-

 

Baulkham Hills FC

Castle Hill RSL Rockets

Castle HIll United FC

Hills Grammar

Hills Kniights FC

Kellyville United FC

Maroota FC

North Rocks Soccer Club

North West FC

Norwest Soccer (Cougars)

Rouse Hill Rangers FC

 

As we advised on 19 November the SHFA remains willing and committed to working with our peer associations and FNSW to foster our great game in the Hills Region of Sydney.

 

An invitation remains open to other Hills based clubs to join us for winter season 2016 and build a great community association that will cater for the population growth of the Hills into the future.

 

Keep an eye out for advertisements and regularly visit our facebook page, website and your club website as Registrations for winter season 2016 will commence from the 1st December 2015.

Edited November 29, 2015 by jaymz

[matty]

Great news

[KGee]

How will the new Association prevent banned players or Managers/Coaches from signing to the new Association?

 

Also the standard of the PL/SL will be devastated.  The only three teams there from the new Association are Baulko PL, Castle Hill RSL Rockets PL and Baulko SL.  And Castle Hill Rockets are confirmed as leaving to play the sanctioned cup tournaments.

 

While it will be good to see regrading, this is in place because the standard from top to bottom in single divisions will be appalling.

 

The 4000-5000 players are going to suffer.  Though since it is mostly just 3 clubs that will make up almost the entire Association, maybe they can just do internal round robin tournaments for their kids up to Under 12 saving the long drive up to Maroota.

 

Glad to say our club told SHFA where to go unless they are sanctioned and with the numbers likely to be no more than half initial predictions, I can't see it happening in the near future either especially if the teams are creamed off to other Associations as is likely.  

[KGee]

You'll know who you can play friendlies against at least in SHFA.

 

Letter received today from Phil Brown from FNSW stating any Football Family club would be in breach of club participation agreements as well as not being covered by FNSW public liability insurance if they play any of the SHFA clubs pre-season.

[Nnnnnathan12]

I don't understand how this is a bad thing, 

At least for juniors, more smaller associations mean that parents don't have to drive their kids further for away games and thus making it easier for kids to play

[West13]

I don't understand how this is a bad thing,

 

At least for juniors, more smaller associations mean that parents don't have to drive their kids further for away games and thus making it easier for kids to play

Not when they go to Maroota...

[MartinTyler]

The new association is going to get most of its clubs from Granville or Gladesville/Hornsby, two large associations with a wide geographical spread. With increasing traffic in the Metropolitan area and more suurbs/estates in the North West you would think that this all makes sense now and get the support of FNSW. I do hear however that Blacktown Association clubs are being targeted again which might not be in the best interests all round at the moment.

[ptwsw]

How will the new Association prevent banned players or Managers/Coaches from signing to the new Association?

 

Also the standard of the PL/SL will be devastated.  The only three teams there from the new Association are Baulko PL, Castle Hill RSL Rockets PL and Baulko SL.  And Castle Hill Rockets are confirmed as leaving to play the sanctioned cup tournaments.

 

While it will be good to see regrading, this is in place because the standard from top to bottom in single divisions will be appalling.

 

The 4000-5000 players are going to suffer.  Though since it is mostly just 3 clubs that will make up almost the entire Association, maybe they can just do internal round robin tournaments for their kids up to Under 12 saving the long drive up to Maroota.

 

Glad to say our club told SHFA where to go unless they are sanctioned and with the numbers likely to be no more than half initial predictions, I can't see it happening in the near future either especially if the teams are creamed off to other Associations as is likely.  

KGee, not sure of your affiliation but I am a club coach of two junior Norwest teams plus I am on the SHFA sub committee for Youth and Talent development. I attended many games in all grades that Norwest participated last season as my passion is to give something back to my club and our great game, I and my fellow coaches at Norwest have many wonderful things planned for my club and I hope my input for the SHFA will see great strides in skills and playing standards across all junior and senior age groups. 

I saw in the Hills teams a greater talent pool than the teams that have stayed with Granville.

Sanctioning is not the end of the world, Champion of champions is the only negative but a little pain for a season is tolerable for the SHFA. Trust me Soccer NSW will certainly miss our rego fees.

I don't understand were your concerns on playing standards of the SHFA, in fact the strongest junior clubs are with the SHFA not with Granville, from my experience the cream will rise and all teams in the Hills will see great benefits in the short to medium term with the coaching and talent development that my fellow committee members and I will implement from the get go.

Traveling is what it is, I am sure you just didn't play in your own backyard but did a bit of travelling to play a game. What is wrong with Maroota, very ill informed and biased comments I say KGee.

Being privy to the player numbers plus Club team participation per Age group, your comments are again ill informed and without facts or basis. Yes, there are the "big three" but you will be very, very surprised by the increase in player numbers and projected club teams participating. Your comments again disparaging with no constructive input, KGee not sure of your experience at the junior level but please refrain with your bs round robin comments. I coached in the juniors and I saw wonderful skills from the "smaller' clubs and my little champions, if I can gloat, were the pick of the crop.

I have attended not all but a majority of SHFA meetings and believe me the passion, drive, commitment and forward thinking is a real joy, the SHFA is overdue and we will grow exponentially in the years to come with the constant development and movement of young families to the Hills.

Please offer informed educated insights and don't offer scare mongering, ill informed comments and dissing the SHFA without hard, solid facts really are not needed now.

Granville are hurting, I feel for this great Association  but any Granville football member has to realise that the SHFA was meant to happen, our numbers are growing and as a Hills resident for 25 years, we need an Association to look after (selfishly) the Hills area, our football loving families and our clubs now and the new clubs that are joining now and will join in the future.

[West13]

Pretty sure there is a 56 page thread on the granville forum to discuss this ****

[KGee]

I commend you for jumping ship ptwsw.  I agree that there is a need for it and I don't doubt the loyalty and commitment to getting it working from the clubs who have invested their membership to the start.  However, my view is that a lack of sanctioning was as a direct result of a rushed process in creation of the Association's long term plans.  They looked like they were created in a rushed manner with little foresight because that is indeed what it was.  We shouldn't forget that there were no sub committees of which you are one before 1st June this year - only a self appointed Executive.  It was at this meeting that Craig Gough sought to develop those groups or appealed for volunteers.  These sub committees are the ones that need to develop the footprint long term plan in all of the categories that could be presented to FNSW such that a boundary re-draw might be considered.  

 

These committees should have been in place at the start of 2015 at least not July when everyone finally put up their hands.  Football administration doesn't move fast and to ask incumbents to simply move aside in a couple of months is wishful thinking.

 

Using Baulkham Hills as an example and their circa 1100 players are full.  I'm not sure how they can grow.  Similarly CHU are restricting the numbers of teams.  Rockets are losing teams for sure.  That's confirmed but I'm sure you're already privy to that being in committee on the Association.  Yes full clubs can seek fields elsewhere but that's the beauty for many families.  It's close and if you check your proximity of families for young age groups in member databases currently, location and close to is an incredibly important factor on where they go.  Older players not so much.  The growth will need to come mainly from the new clubs and that's a leap of faith when there is already a ready made club in the area for two of the new clubs.  For players, they either stick with their friends or go where the good Football is.  Concerns may be in place for the border clubs like North Rocks who have circa 800 players currently.  It won't be a stretch for their players to jump just up the road to the many GHFA teams nearby who will gladly welcome them and probably market in their area this year.  North Rocks shopping centre may be an interesting place to be in the next few months at weekends.

 

I'm not against travelling at all.  Being a GHFA club we're used to travelling even at U6's.  I took my team to both extremes of the GHFA boundaries this season North and South.  We enjoy our trips to place like Kenthurst and will do again this season no doubt if we play them.  No doubt their President will be only too delighted to welcome us as a fellow affiliate.  Does Maroota count as being in the Hills?  I know the new North West boutique team isn't.  It will be playing in Blacktown area.

 

Will FNSW cave in next season?  Not sure.  Should they?  Not sure again.  If numbers are as expected they won't need to change their stance as the income loss will not be so great.  5000-6000 players x average fee of $12-$13 depending on age group on assumption SHFA does focus on juniors?  It's a sum of money but not a deal breaker.  Obviously adult fees are higher but the bulk of players will be young in that registration group.

 

Growth numbers in Sydney are based on continuing Economic growth rates of recent years and we'd have to debate whether this will continue given the underlying metrics on our Economy flowing out for the past two years.  1.9% per year which is the region's development projection is bullish given immigration is likely to slip well below those levels in future years (it's already down now) as we continue in a prolonged economic slowdown. 

 

While you haven't addressed the security concerns of potentially banned players and how SHFA will weed them out without FNSW banned player and coach lists and I don't expect you to, one would think that given the drive of SHFA is on its junior base this year, this would be addressed or how it would be.  Parents value the safety of their children uppermost after all.

 

Good decision to use Compman by the way for registrations.  It's not the best and I use it too but since you have everything in one place including competition set up, that should keep costs and complexity down.  The one surprise I have is that it was bandied about of registration fees being lower because of no need to pay FFA and FNSW fees.  Yet CHU fees are as much if not more that affiliated clubs in the same age ranges.  Maybe they're just an expensive club to join because they're limited in the number of teams they can create thus numbers are maxed therefore income is also constrained.  Don't know that answer.

 

I hope those that do play in the SHFA enjoy it.  I know the youngest players will be fine.  They don't care as long as they get their lollies post match.  They could play on the moon for all they care.  My concern is the fragmentation of the game especially the Womens and we're already recipient of two teams from SHFA Clubs.  The losers will be both GDSFA and SHFA in the short to medium term as an already struggling competition potentially breaks apart irrevocably.  Did you go to the meeting on Monday? 

 

GHFA, NWSWF and BDSFA Associations are probably laughing their socks off at the good fortune FNSW is delivering them right now.

 

Anyway good luck next season with whatever your Association has to work with.

[KGee]

Sorry that was way TLDR material.  

 

Let me be clear.  I want to see the game grow no matter where it happens and under whatever banner.  But the current situation is just destructive and could set the game back if it isn't resolved in a more amicable manner.  Both GDSFA and SHFA have a lot to answer for in this regard.

[Hughesy]

This had so much potential but FNSW couldn't be bothered to do what they're supposed to...

 

There's a good chance that my club will have a second premier league squad to simply attempt to give the PL some sort of competition and validity.

[jackyboyc]

This is a copy of the letter sent to clubs in GHFA that i pulled from the GHFA forum:

 

1 December 2015 

Presidents and General Managers 
Football Associations 
PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues Clubs 
Football NSW State League Clubs 
Referee Branches 

2016 Competitions 

Dear Colleagues, 
As you may be aware, six clubs that participated in Granville & District Soccer Football Association (GDSFA) competitions in 2015 and one club from the Gladesville Hornsby Football Association (GHFA) have decided to participate in competitions outside of the Football Family in 2016. 

Those clubs are; 
? Baulkham Hills Football Club 
? Castel Hill RSL Rockets 
? Castle Hill United Football Club 
? Hills Grammar School 
? Hills Knights Football Club (formerly St Michaels Baulkham Hills) 
? North Rocks Soccer Club 
? Norwest Soccer 

Having decided to leave the Football Family, the seven clubs are no longer considered within the insurance policy that covers the regular participation of our 225,000 players, 700 clubs and 5,500 referees in football matches. 

It is important to understand that any club director, coach, team official, player or referee participating in friendly, trial or competition matches against these clubs will not be covered by Football NSW public liability insurance, Director and Officer’s insurance or personal injury insurance. 

Football NSW will not endorse any trial or friendly match against these seven clubs, nor are they eligible to participate in any Football NSW competitions, programs or activities. 

Participation in any match outside of the Football Family would also be seen as a breach of the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues Club and Football NSW State League Club Participation Agreements. 

We would like to take this opportunity to confirm our continued support for the Football Associations, Clubs and Referee Branches that together are Football NSW. We have recently completed a comprehensive consultation process with the GDSFA, Clubs and the Granville and District Football Referees Association via a working group, the outcomes of which we believe will generate continued growth and improvement in not only the State’s oldest, but one of its most successful and vibrant football communities. 

We appreciate your continued support of GDFSA, GHFA and the broader Football Family, and look forward to another year of football in 2016. 

We wish you the best for the festive season, and look forward to seeing everyone out on the park next year. 

Kind Regards, 
Phil Brown 
Head of Football - FNSW

[KGee]

Indeed they did. They also sent it to NWSWF and no doubt Blacktown and Granville clubs.

 

That said with councils being a pain in March getting friendlies going is difficult anyway.

[jackyboyc]

Indeed they did. They also sent it to NWSWF and no doubt Blacktown and Granville clubs.

 

That said with councils being a pain in March getting friendlies going is difficult anyway.

 

Half the time it's because of bloody cricket! I wouldn't mind seeing the back of that sport to be honest

[Gazmon]

Indeed they did. They also sent it to NWSWF and no doubt Blacktown and Granville clubs.

 

That said with councils being a pain in March getting friendlies going is difficult anyway.

 

I'll keep an eye out for our friendlies next year. We often play a few of those clubs in pre-season (Newbury/Stanhope Gardens is close to many of them).

[dmixtaaa]

 

I don't understand how this is a bad thing,

 

At least for juniors, more smaller associations mean that parents don't have to drive their kids further for away games and thus making it easier for kids to play

Not when they go to Maroota...

 

Ma Roota...isn't that in Victoria?  

[Posthoc]

Coming back and viewing this thread in hindsight is interesting.

 

The SHFA has been a roaring success, something over 6000 registrations in the first year, very high referee allocations, I am involved in teams from U6 to 35's and the difference from Granville is huge, no trouble great atmosphere and what has been very interesting has been Kellyville United one of the 'brand new clubs' that set up in the new association and have fielded very strong junior teams.

 

It has been such a success that Football NSW has now decided to set up their own rebel competition to the rebel competition because Granville made such a meal of it.  Will be very interesting to see if they get any of the clubs back, I would very much doubt it.  

[TehSmileyBandit]

Coming back and viewing this thread in hindsight is interesting.

 

The SHFA has been a roaring success, something over 6000 registrations in the first year, very high referee allocations, I am involved in teams from U6 to 35's and the difference from Granville is huge, no trouble great atmosphere and what has been very interesting has been Kellyville United one of the 'brand new clubs' that set up in the new association and have fielded very strong junior teams.

 

It has been such a success that Football NSW has now decided to set up their own rebel competition to the rebel competition because Granville made such a meal of it.  Will be very interesting to see if they get any of the clubs back, I would very much doubt it.  

 

Will definitely be interesting to look back. I'm playing in the Granville association and it's so much better - as your note above: less trouble, higher allocation of officials, etc. Maybe GDSFA was simply too large?

Edited July 15, 2016 by TehSmileyBandit

[KGee]

Coming back and viewing this thread in hindsight is interesting.

 

The SHFA has been a roaring success, something over 6000 registrations in the first year, very high referee allocations, I am involved in teams from U6 to 35's and the difference from Granville is huge, no trouble great atmosphere and what has been very interesting has been Kellyville United one of the 'brand new clubs' that set up in the new association and have fielded very strong junior teams.

 

It has been such a success that Football NSW has now decided to set up their own rebel competition to the rebel competition because Granville made such a meal of it.  Will be very interesting to see if they get any of the clubs back, I would very much doubt it.  

 

Far be from me to rain on your parade but SHFA's Craig Gough said there would be 10,000 players and about 15-16 clubs at the June meeting last year.  Not exactly hit their own targets when a significant percentage are new teams to make up the numbers and the league is dominated numbers wise by Baulkham Hills and Castle Hill United.

 

Not forgetting that the 16's, 17's and 18's had to be combined in to one age group because the competition was so lopsided.  I guess you get that when your numbers in the competitive age groups are not good enough to form reasonable standard competitions.

 

Either way as long as we all get a game of Football at the weekend then whatever.  

[Posthoc]

 

Coming back and viewing this thread in hindsight is interesting.

 

The SHFA has been a roaring success, something over 6000 registrations in the first year, very high referee allocations, I am involved in teams from U6 to 35's and the difference from Granville is huge, no trouble great atmosphere and what has been very interesting has been Kellyville United one of the 'brand new clubs' that set up in the new association and have fielded very strong junior teams.

 

It has been such a success that Football NSW has now decided to set up their own rebel competition to the rebel competition because Granville made such a meal of it.  Will be very interesting to see if they get any of the clubs back, I would very much doubt it.  

 

Far be from me to rain on your parade but SHFA's Craig Gough said there would be 10,000 players and about 15-16 clubs at the June meeting last year.  Not exactly hit their own targets when a significant percentage are new teams to make up the numbers and the league is dominated numbers wise by Baulkham Hills and Castle Hill United.

 

Not forgetting that the 16's, 17's and 18's had to be combined in to one age group because the competition was so lopsided.  I guess you get that when your numbers in the competitive age groups are not good enough to form reasonable standard competitions.

 

Either way as long as we all get a game of Football at the weekend then whatever.  

 

 

I have never heard him say those figures, everyone I spoke to involved thought 4000.

 

Yet

12s have 3 divisions

13s have 2 divisions

14s have 3 divisions

15s have 2 divisions

 

So each of those move up next year looks like 16's will have a division next year.

 

Sutherland Association, the largest in Australia???? even with a huge female football competition this year moved to every other year for the girls teams. So maybe that is something SHFA should have done in hindsight.

 

The association is 1 year old, the fact that it was able to attract so many clubs and teams is amazing.

 

The Gladesville Hornsby Association started with 1000 players.

 

Clearly the success has annoyed Football NSW enough that they woke up and took the control away from Granville and said right lets try to do WHAT HAS already been done.

 

As a player in the SHFA I hope we don't get sanctioned for another year, because I know there are lots of teams that stayed in Granville district from the two hills clubs that stayed that want to come across.

 

Football NSW know this and that is why their attempt does not include the two new clubs that set up Kellyville United and Rouse Hill Rangers.  Their new competition would not include these two new clubs, pathetic from Football NSW. So you might want to ask them why they want to reduce the numbers?

Edited July 15, 2016 by Posthoc

[HillsWanderer]

 

Coming back and viewing this thread in hindsight is interesting.

 

The SHFA has been a roaring success, something over 6000 registrations in the first year, very high referee allocations, I am involved in teams from U6 to 35's and the difference from Granville is huge, no trouble great atmosphere and what has been very interesting has been Kellyville United one of the 'brand new clubs' that set up in the new association and have fielded very strong junior teams.

 

It has been such a success that Football NSW has now decided to set up their own rebel competition to the rebel competition because Granville made such a meal of it.  Will be very interesting to see if they get any of the clubs back, I would very much doubt it.  

 

Will definitely be interesting to look back. I'm playing in the Granville association and it's so much better - as your note above: less trouble, higher allocation of officials, etc. Maybe GDSFA was simply too large?

 

Agree. This year in Granville we've only had one game without an official black and white. We've had no trouble at all.

[Jewwfro]

From a players perspective in the SHFA it has been quite good, always had official referees and at worst only 1 linesman (premier league).

 

The only issue that I've seen with the new league is the quality of the refs, they are quite poor and have copped a large amount of abuse resulting in SHFA to crack down on this with refs giving straight reds for abuse where necessary. 

 

Its only the first year and tbh its been quite a success even if they had a larger visions for the amount of clubs/divisions.