Thunderbirds support headspace Wollongong

Thirroul Thunderbirds are supporting headspace Wollongong in Sunday's FSC Women's Charity Round and the club is collecting donations on their behalf.

Donations for any amount from $5 can be made by visiting the TJFC Shop or clicking on this link.

Representatives of headspace Wollongong will be at Gibson Park on Sunday for the Thunderbirds Division 1, 2 and 3 matches to raise awareness and funds for mental health services for 12-25 year olds.

Kirsten Ward, Dani Blackett and Hannah Bowen, with Ollie

Thirroul JFC will forward the total of donations made through the TJFC Shop or collected at the ground to headspace Wollongong.

More than 75 per cent of mental health issues develop before a person turns 25.

headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds. headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health) alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support.

Over the years FSC has partnered with a number of organisations to raise awareness and funds to support the work of many great causes.

This year FSC, through the Women’s Competition, will support headspace as part of its Charity Round on Sunday 16 May.

Participating clubs will support headspace through their collections, events and raffles.  Representatives from headspace will also be in attendance at Thomas Gibson Park, Thirroul from midday to 2pm this Sunday.

headspace Wollongong participates in projects for young women in partnership with multiple organisations who work in the youth and health sector including Kiama Youth Services, Port Kembla Youth Project, Careways and MCCI. These programs for young women focus on wellbeing, self-care and healthy relationships and the Charity Round will assist these initiatives.

A bit more information about headspace:

Many traditional services aren’t equipped to address the unique barriers that young people face to accessing mental health support. headspace began in 2006 to provide a tailored and holistic mental health support to 12 – 25 year olds. With a focus on early intervention, we work with young people to provide support at a crucial time in their lives – to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in the future.

At the heart of our services is ensuring we meet the evolving and unique needs of young people and those who support them. Therefore, young people are at the centre of everything we do and they play an active role in designing, developing and evaluating our programs.

Each year, headspace helps thousands of young people access vital support through our headspace centres in 124 communities across Australia, our online and phone counselling services, our vocational services, and our presence in schools. headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health) alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support.

TJFC welcome Murphy's Coffee Co. as new sponsor

Thirroul JFC is pleased to welcome Murphy’s Coffee Co. as the sponsor of the TJFC Skills Development Program for junior players.

Murphy’s Coffee Co. proprietor Andrew Murphy has been a supporter of Thirroul JFC for a number of years and his mobile coffee van is regularly at Gibson Park on Saturday and Sunday mornings for junior matches.

Murphy’s Coffee Co. vans are available to bring the caffeine convenience to your events and private functions, as well as offering drive through services. A Murphy’s Coffee Co. van can be found most mornings at Latini’s Discount Tyres and Mechanical Repairs, opposite Bulli Public School.

Thirroul JFC is delighted that Andrew will continue to provide excellent coffee - as well as tea, and other goodies - from the black Murphy’s Coffee Company van parked near the club house at Gibson Park this season.

Andrew has also extended his association with the club in 2021 by sponsoring the TJFC Skills Development Program, run by John Cropper, TJFC Mentor: Coaching and Development.

The TJFC Skills Development Program is aimed at improving the skills of junior players registered to play for the club this season.

Sessions for Under 9s-to-U13s age groups are on Mondays and there is a Girls Only session each Wednesday.

The Murphy’s Coffee Company logo appears on the back of the training shirts worn by the players in the TJFC Skills Development Program.

Sponsorship helps the club to cover costs such as playing shirts, balls, training equipment, ground hire, lighting and other items, such as the new portable goal posts on wheels now used for both grounds.

For information about sponsoring Thirroul JFC, a Sponsorship Brochure and details about Junior Sponsorship Packages can be found by clicking the Sponsorship tab at the top of the thirroulfootball.com.au website.

TJFC welcomes Favcote as new sponsor

Thirroul Junior Football Club is pleased to welcome Favcote Pty Ltd to the club as a new sponsor.

Favcote has taken up a sponsorship package for the Thirroul JFC Under 11s Navy team, coached by Paul Favretti.

The company’s name and logo will appear on the team’s playing shirts from this weekend.

Located in Ingleburn, Favcote offer a diverse range of services in three sectors of the architectural & protective coatings industry for defence, commercial, marine and industrial projects.

Further details about Favcote can be found by clicking here or on their logo, which is located on the home page of the thirroulfootball.com.au website, or by visiting favcote.com

Please support Favcote and those businesses who support Thirroul JFC.

Sponsorship helps the club to cover costs such as playing shirts, balls, training equipment, ground hire, lighting and other items, such as the new portable goal posts on wheels for Field 2.

For information about sponsoring Thirroul JFC, a Sponsorship Brochure and details about Junior Sponsorship Packages can be found by clicking the Sponsorship tab at the top of the thirroulfootball.com.au website.

Introducing new sponsor Hallmac Electrical Contractors

Thirroul JFC is delighted to welcome Hallmac Electrical Contractors to the club's family of business supporters.

Hallmac Electrical Contractors will sponsor the Under 8s Purple Thunderbolts in 2020, with the team to wear the company's logo on their playing shirts.

Specialising in retail and commercial fit-outs, Hallmac has a reputation for completing complex projects in pressure-filled situations.

Among the clients Hallmac has recently provided high-end electrical solutions for are H&M Wollongong and Macarthur Square, Grand Cru at Sydney International Airport, Bungalow 8 and Cargo Bar at King Street Wharf, Pyrmont's Terminus Hotel and Zara stores around Australia.

Further information about Hallmac Electrical Contractors can be found by visiting hallmac.com or visiting the company's Facebook page.

Thiroul JFC would like to thank Andrew McIntosh for instigating Hallmac's sponsorship of the Under 8s Purple team in 2020.

The club offers a variety of sponsorship packages for all Thirroul JFC teams, from Under 6s Thunderbolts to our senior Thunder and Thunderbirds teams.

Thirroul JFC is a not-for-profit organisation and relies on community support to enable the club to provide facilities, equipment and playing kits for our 650 registered players.

Further details about supporting the club can be found by clicking the Sponsorship tab on the thirroul football.com.au website.

Thunder dominate District League Awards

Congratulations to Thunder players Nathan Mucci and Liam Harris, and coach Kevin Lewis for their awards at the Football South Coast Men’s Council Presentation.

Nathan was awarded the Neville Arrowsmith Medal as the 2019 District League Player of the Year, while Liam received the Golden Gloves award as the competition’s best goalkeeper..

The awards were in recognition of the pair’s role in helping the Thunder to within one win of a first grade grand final berth.

It was the first time Thirroul JFC players have dominated the District League awards.

Kevin, who guided the Thunder to a fourth consecutive Reserve Grade grand final win, was honoured for Services to Football.

Here is a brief summary of Kevin’s involvement with our club and the game.

Kevin Lewis Services to Football Nomination

After emigrating from Wales to Australia at the age of 10, Kevin Lewis resumed his football career with Woonona Junior Football Club where he played for 8 years

At 18 he moved to Bulli FC where he played for 11 years including their 1986 Grand Final win

In 1995 he played a season at Tarrawanna FC

In 1996 he returned to play for Woonona FC and in 1997 joined the coaching staff. He took their Youth Grade to the 1999 Grand Final

1998-2001 he coached both his son’s teams and was the Registrar at Woonona Junior Football Club.

2002 to 2008 he coached his two son’s teams at Bulli Junior Football Club and held the positions of Vice President and President. In 2008 Bulli JFC made him a Life member

He coached his first Grand final win in 2002 Bulli under 10 4th div

In 2008, he joined Thirroul Thunder FC in their inaugural year as youth grade coach

He has continued on the Club’s Coaching staff as Youth Grade Coach, Women’s First Division Coach and Reserve Grade Coach.

Since 2012, he has coached 3 Youth Grade League Champions, 2 Reserve Grade League Champions, 2 Youth Grade Grand Final wins and 4 Reserve Grade Grand Final wins. In the last 8 years alone, he’s been the Thirroul Coach on Grand Final day on 7 occasions for 6 wins and 1 loss including the last 4 consecutive Reserve Grade Grand Final wins.

Kevin’s enormous contribution to player development and his substantial role in many Clubs’ Football histories makes him a worthy recipient.

Thirroul JFC Secures Funding For Weather Shelter

Thirroul JFC would like to thank everyone associated with the club and others who supported the submission to construct a Weather Shelter at Thomas Gibson Park.

Thirroul JFC is excited to announce that the club has been successful in securing funding for the Weather Shelter through the NSW Government’s My Community Project scheme.

The grant will enable the construction of awnings over and adjacent to the existing amenities building at the cricket/soccer fields at Gibson Park, along with additional seating and water tanks to store water from the roof that can be used to improve the playing surface.

This will benefit the the entire community and continues an ongoing plan by Thirroul JFC to develop Gibson Park to cater for the increased use of the facility.

More than 1800 projects across NSW were considered for the My Community Project scheme and Thirroul JFC’s proposal was one of 248 chosen after 61,437 people voted for their favourite local projects.

The successful projects were announced on Thursday, 5 September.

Updated: Finals Schedule for Graded Juniors

Junior Finals

Please find the draw for the FSC Junior Finals Series. More specific details can be found in the match centre on the FSC website. Note, these details are subject to change.

2019 TJFC CLUB AWARDS

Each year Thirroul JFC recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to the club through a series of awards.

Nominations for the 2019 awards close on Friday 30th August. 

Please use the form below to submit your nominations.

Coach of the Year

This award is to recognise significant contributions a coach has made towards the club.  Nominations should detail why the nominee deserves the award and how they have contributed, as a coach, to benefit the club.  You may nominate a coach for any reason that you see fit. This may include such things as developing players, being a good a coach, handling difficult situations, creating a good team environment etc. The nominations should detail the coach's history, performance and role in developing players and football at the club.

Community Award

Each year Thirroul Junior Football Club presents a Community Award to an individual or family who have shown dedication and great commitment to the club. Nominations should outline the positive contribution the nominee has made to Thirroul JFC during the previous 12 months or over a longer period, and the reason you believe they are worthy of the award.

Senior Club Person of the Year

A senior (over 18) member of the club, player, coach or official who has made an outstanding contribution to the operation of the club in the past year.

Junior Club Person of the Year
A junior (under 18) member of the club, in a playing, coaching or supporting role who has made an outstanding contribution to the operation of the club in the past year.

Life Membership

This award is in recognition of a club member who has performed  a continuous (at least five years) outstanding contribution to the operation of Thirroul JFC.

Vote for our Gibson Park Weather Shelter Proposal

Thirroul JFC needs your help to secure funding through the My Community Project scheme for the construction of awnings over and adjacent to the existing amenities building at the cricket/soccer fields at Thomas Gibson Park.

Click here for details on How to Vote

The cricket and soccer fields at Gibson Park currently have an amenity building containing change rooms, toilets and canteen. The building roof provides a great viewing area for both sporting activities.

However, there is no protection from harmful UV rays during summer and no shelter, at all, from rain storms all year round.

This construction of a Weather Shelter will ensure:

• Protection from the weather and additional seating for all the activities that take place in Thirroul's "Village Green".

• Environmental benefits, including water tanks to store water from the roof to be used to improve the playing surfaces.

• Continuation of an ongoing plan to develop Gibson Park to cater for the increase in the use of the facility.

Enhancing the "Village Green" of Thirroul

Gibson Park is Thirroul’s "Village Green”. It is used by joggers, dog walkers, the local schools, as well as organised cricket and soccer. It also, provides walking and cycling connections between the nearby housing and Thirroul Beach, as well as Thirroul Railway Station. This proposal provides respite from the sun for this community, as well as a refuge from the rain showers that can suddenly occur.

Thirroul Junior Football Club, the users of the soccer fields, will carry out the project. The club has a history of carrying out projects to the benefit of Gibson Park and the community in general, including field drainage and lighting to night game standard.

A Development Application has been prepared for this proposal and if approved, work could be completed by the beginning of this year's cricket season.

HOW TO VOTE

Go to the mycommunityproject.service.nsw.gov.au website

1. Select your electorate - KEIRA

2. Log in or create a MyServiceNSW Account - The same account used to claim the Active Kids rebate

3. Verify your identity

4. Shortlist your favourite projects - VOTE 1 for Weather Shelter for Gibson Park

5. Arrange your top 3 to 5 projects - VOTE 1 for Weather Shelter for Gibson Park

6. Submit your vote - VOTE 1 for Weather Shelter for Gibson Park

Thirroul JFC registration for 2019 now open

REGISTER FOR 2019

A new mobile-friendly registration system has been introduced for 2019, which enables users to access their new Football Account with Facebook and Google log-ins as well as email.

An FFA Number is no longer needed to log-in, and family members can each be registered from a single account.

However, there are a number of changes those who have previously registered with the My Football Club system will notice, including a requirement to upload a passport-type photo.

Please continue reading for important information and details about how to register.

2019 FEES

Thirroul JFC has maintained registration fees for all players - from Under 6s Mini-Roos to the Club’s senior men’s and women’s teams - at $180 per player for the 2019 season. (Further details are outlined below).

Under the new registration system, there will be different packages to choose from displaying different fees. Please ignore these as the total amount to register with Thirroul JFC in 2019 will be $180 per player.

Family Discounts are available and all school-aged players are eligible for a $100 rebate as part of the NSW Government's Active Kids Program. Go to service.nsw.gov.au to claim your voucher code for each eligible player.

HOW TO REGISTER

Go to the playfootball.com.au website or CLICK HERE.

Make sure you are on the Thirroul Junior Football Club page and click on the START MY REGISTRATION tab on the bottom right hand side.

Create your Football Account using your email address, Facebook log-in or Google log-in.

Please Note: FFA has migrated all past registrations to the new system. If you have played previously you will be able to claim profiles from MyFootballClub provided you use the same email address to sign up. To claim your playing history and other details you will need to use the same email address used to register on the former MyFootballClub system.

After logging in to your Football Account you will be presented with a list of matching profiles from MyFootballClub where the email addresses match.

Click “continue” and you will be presented with a list of packages or “products” offered by Thirroul JFC.

Select the relevant package and a new page will open detailing the $180 fee for all Thirroul JFC players. Click “continue” at the bottom.

The next page asks you to check your personal details, including Emergency Contacts. After doing so click “continue”.

You will then be asked to upload a passport-style photo.

Continue to the Terms and Conditions, including Code of Conduct. After accepting these you will continue to the final page for payment. Thirroul JFC will not accept registrations as completed until the club has received full payment.

Note: All Junior packages, including Women’s Youth Grade, will have a list of mandatory questions. These are only for Mini-Roos - aged U6s-to-U11s. However, they can not be left blank so please type N/A if they are not applicable.

For further assistance with using the new registration system, CLICK HERE.

REGISTRATION FEES EXPLAINED

The committee of Thirroul JFC has decided not to pass on any increase in fees from governing bodies this year to maintain a registration fee of $180 for all players in 2019.

This includes FFA, Football NSW and Football South Coast fees, as well as insurance, ground hire and lighting at Gibson Park, referees fees. uniforms, trophies and maintenance costs, such as field maintenance and equipment.

It is a policy of Thirroul JFC that all players pay the same registration fee, whether they play Under 6s or First Grade for the Thunder or Thunderbirds.

However, the families of Mini Roos players (Under 6s to Under 11s) are not required to perform canteen duty during the season.

FAMILY DISCOUNT

Where a family has more than one player registering with Thirroul JFC, the following scale will apply – $180 each for the first two players and $150 each for all other immediate family members. The $30 discount applies across the club for players in junior, men’s, women’s and amateur teams.

The Family Discount for three players can be obtained during the registration process if all family members are registered using the same Football Account. In all other instances, the club will reimburse those who are eligible.

REGISTRATION SESSIONS

Thirroul JFC will hold Junior Registration sessions at Thirroul Bowling Club on Saturday, 2 February from 10am-2pm and Thursday, 7 February from 6pm-8pm.

Grand Final Photo Galleries

Ann Odong, founder and editor of The Women's Game website, photographed the FSC female grand finals for the launch of the FFA's bid to host the 2023 Women's World Cup. Get behind the bid and support The Women's Game.

Thirroul JFC would like to than Ann, the FFA and FSC for sharing her photo of the Thunderbirds WYL, W16s and W15s grand finals.

Click or tap on a photo to view a slide show.  

Thunderbirds WYL League and Grand Champions

Thunderbirds W16.2 Grand Finalists

Thunderbirds W15.1 Grand Finalists

Thunderbirds claim first Women's Grand Final win

The Thunderbirds WYL team created history when they became the club’s first senior women’s side to both win a Grand Final and achieve the League and Grand Championships double.

The Thunderbirds beat Warilla 1-0 in the Grand Final at Myimbarr Field to cap off a season in which the team finished top of the inaugural Women’s Youth League competition after losing just one match.

The team will now represent Football South Coast in the FNSW W21s Champion of Champions, with pool matches against St George on October 7 and Nepean on October 14.

Thirroul JFC had three other teams in Grand Finals at Myimbarr on the weekend of September 7-9.

The Thunderbirds W16.2 team lost 2-1 to Bulli and the W15s Thunderbirds went down 3-0 to Shellharbour, while the Thunder U16.2 side were beaten 2-1 by Kiama.

A big thanks to the FSC photographers who took the photos in the gallery below:

John Cropper to coach Thunderbirds in 2019

Thirroul JFC is pleased to announce the appointment of John Cropper as Thunderbirds Women’s Division 1 Coach for the 2019 season.

John has an extensive coaching background at all levels of the game, including stints in charge of Woonona and Wollongong Olympic First Grade Men’s teams.

He has also achieved success with Bulli Youth Grade, and most recently coached Thirroul Thunder Youth Grade team in 2016 and 2017.

John was also involved with the Thunderbirds Youth League team which made the final of the 2016 and 2017 FNSW W21s Champion of Champions tournaments.

He has coached players who have gone on to play for the Socceroos or at A-League level, as well as first grade for the Wolves and Stingrays.

With his background and experience, Thirroul JFC believes John is an ideal coach for the Thunderbirds Division 1 team next season.

John will continue in his role as Thirroul JFC Mentor: Coaching and Development.

Thirroul JFC wishes to thank Tina Siskoska for her efforts as coach of the Thunderbirds Division 1 team for the past two seasons.

The Thunderbirds had the youngest team in the 2018 FSC Women’s Division 1 competition and Tina oversaw the development of many players into the first grade squad, which will benefit the club next season and in the future. 

Tina advised Thirroul JFC at the end of the regular season that she would not be able to continue in the role next season and has endorsed the appointment of John as the new Thunderbirds Division 1 coach.

JOHN CROPPER
Background
High School Teacher: Physical Education (38 years).

Player
State League: South Coast United, Balgownie, Penrith.
Illawarra Premier League: Tarrawanna

Coaching
First Grade: Woonona; Wollongong Olympic (2015).
Youth Grade:  Wollongong Olympic; Bulli (2011-2014); Thirroul (2016-2017).
Juniors: Thirroul, Tarrawanna, Wollongong Wolves.
School: Keira High; South Coast Regional Schools.

Qualifications
Level C coaching Certificate/Advanced Pathways (Senior).

COACHING COURSES

Football South Coast is conducting a FREE Grassroots Coaching course this Saturday, 17 March (9am to 11.30am) at Gibson Park.

There will also be a Game Training coaching course at Ocean Park, Woonona on 24 and 25 March.

To do either course, it is important to register via the links below as numbers are limited.

GRASSROOTS COACHING COURSE: Gibson Park, 17th March 2018

This free course is fully practical and encourages the coach to develop practices that are based on FUN.

The emphasis is on natural development i.e. learning by PLAYING football. 

No coaching but organising FUN football exercises is the key to helping players build a love for the game.

Another highlight of the course is that the coaches are exposed to basic rules of the game as well as tips and hints on building a football culture in a completely practical setting.

https://education-ffa.sportingpulse.com/event.asp?ID=17406

GAME TRAINING LICENCE: Ocean Park, 24th & 25th March 2018

This is a particularly good course for anyone coaching Graded Junior teams, Under 12s to Under 18s.

In the Game Training Phase the coach’s aim will be the development of tactical awareness, perception and decision making through a game related approach to training.

The course is conducted over 14 hours, is fully practical and provides the coach with training sessions designed to help the players apply the Functional Game Skills in a team setting using the FFA endorsed ‘4-3-3’ formation.

https://education-ffa.sportingpulse.com/event.asp?ID=17851

Thirroul JFC Junior Grading Dates - UPDATED 10/2/2018

Grading sessions for players in age groups where Thirroul JFC has more than one team will be held under the guidance of John Cropper from next weekend. 

Grading only applies for players in the Under 12s and older age groups. 

Only players who are registered with Thirroul JFC will be permitted to take part in grading trials.

Players taking part are required to wear boots and shin pads, and to bring a water bottle.

Below is the updated schedule for grading sessions.

Become a Referee: Register Now

Refereeing is a great way to be involved in the game - not only do you get to see all the action from the best position on the field, but it will keep you fit, you will meet new and interesting people, and earn money at the same time.

The Level 4 Referee Course provides participants with education and training to become a referee. The course consists of  theory modules, practical sessions on a pitch to enable referees to begin refereeing at community level.

The aim of this program is to educate new referees on the FIFA Laws of the Game and disciplines of refereeing, to uphold these laws, standards of the game and contribute to the enjoyment and fair play of football.

If you are interested in becoming a referee or know someone who is, the dates for upcoming Referee Level 4 courses have been announced by Football South Coast.

Registration is via the Football South Coast website. Go to the referee's tab and follow the instructions. The first course, on 26th and 27th February, is full so those who are interested should get in quick to register for the second course.

Referee Level 4

Course 2

Date: 19th and 20th March 2018

Time: 6:30 to 9:30

Venue: Fraternity Club (19th) Albion Park JFC (20th)

Cost: $100. Extra costs for Gear and uniform, once course is completed.

To Register for the course, click here

Requirements

Participants must complete the Online Laws of the Game, certificate, BEFORE they can complete a level 4 course. Once completed this certificate must be be sighted at the beginning of the course

You will need to print the Level 4 course workbook (doesn't need to be in colour)

The course does include a field component, so you will need to wear approriate clothing (boots NOT needed) and if wet weather the course will still be on.

Active Kids Rebate Now Available

The NSW Government initiative of the Active Kids Rebate is now available to be redeemed from Service NSW.

If you want to claim the $100 Active Kids Rebate before registering, or have already registered and chose the "deferred"option, please go to service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-active-kids-voucher or click here.

The rebate is aimed to help reduce the barriers for families wanting to have their children participate in the activities of sport and fitness, by helping with the cost of wanting to be a part of a sporting community.

Therefore the NSW Government has allocated each child aged from 4.5 - 18 years' old and enrolled in full time school a $100 voucher, which can be applied to the overall cost such as registration and other sign up costs. 

Here's some quick notes which you will need to know about this offer

• The Active Kids Voucher can only be redeemed once per child
• The voucher cannot be split over several applications, and will have to be used in its entirety at the time of use, any unused portion is forfeited
• The programs which it is applied to must run for a minimum of eight weeks
• The child applying for the voucher must be enrolled in school (Kindergarten to Year 12, including the home-schooling system). Or enrolled in a secondary education such as TAFE NSW, for those early school leavers who are still under 18 years of age.
• The voucher will be available to be used from its release (31st of January 2018) to the end of the calendar year (31st of December 2018). If it is not used after this date, the value of the voucher will expire and will not be valid for use in 2019.
• After applying for your voucher, head to the Play Football website to register for your Club. To apply the discount to your registration, at the invoice screen enter your code you receive into the “Active Kids Voucher” field and your registration will automatically be updated with the discount.
• If you have already registered, provide the voucher to your club so that they can validate the code

At the point of applying for the voucher, the parent, guardian or carer will need a valid Medicare Card with the details of the child as well as a MyServiceNSW Account

Thirroul JFC Junior Registration Days

Thirroul Junior Football Club will hold Junior Registration sessions at Thirroul Bowling, Leagues and Recreation Club on the following dates:

• Saturday, 3 February, 10am-2pm
• Monday, 5 February, 5.30pm-8pm.

Club officials will be on hand at each session to assist with the registration process, take photos of players for ID cards and provide information about the coming season.

New players are required to bring a birth certificate or other proof of their date of birth.

Uniforms and merchandise will also be available to purchase at the Junior Registration Sessions, while Thirroul JFC Mentor: Coaching and Development, John Cropper, will be in attendance.

For further details about registering, including information about how to claim the NSW Government's $100 Active Kids Rebate for school-aged players, go to Register 2018 on this website or click here.

The club will soon announce dates and times for grading sessions if required for teams playing in the U12-18s competitions. These will be held in early-mid February so teams can be finalised to submit to Football South Coast for the creation of a draw.

Please note that Thirroul JFC has this year introduced a $20 administration fee for de-registrations. 

New Competition Format for W17/18s Teams

A Women’s Youth League competition has been introduced for the 2018 season for all female players aged 17-to-21.

The Women’s Youth League is jointly run by the Football South Coast Junior and Women’s Councils and will be an expansion of the W21s competition to include teams who would have played in the W17/18s competition.

The teams will be graded into divisions with other teams of similar ability rather than by age only.

The reason for introducing the Women’s Youth League is to create more even competitions for teams and players as they transition from juniors to all-age women's competitions.

A number of other associations, including Canterbury, have adopted this model with positive results. Below is a basic outline of the competition.

What is the Women's Youth League

This is a competition for players aged between 17 (turning 17 before December 31, 2018) and 21 (turning 21 before December 31, 2018).

The Women's Youth League would be graded into divisions based on the ability of teams.

What does this mean for my team

• The Women’s Youth League will enable teams to stay together longer and provide an easier transition to all age competition.
• There will also be greater scope for clubs to form teams by combining W17 players with W18 and W21 players.
• This will increase the variety of the competition (more teams, more divisions, and the opportunity to play different teams).
• Teams will be matched against opponents of similar ability, which improves the quality of playing experience much more than being matched on age only.

Why is a Women's Youth League needed

Statistics show a drop off in playing numbers for female players in their late teens. As a result, there has been a disparity between the ability of teams in each of the U16s, U17/18s and W21s competitions.

FSC conducted a survey of players in these age groups who had not returned to the game in recent seasons and this was cited as one of the reasons.

How will a Women's Youth League change that

The aim of a Women's Youth League is to provide two or more competitive divisions and to ensure that teams play against other teams of a similar ability.

The Women’s Youth League allows teams to stay together as they transition from W17/18s to All Age Women’s competitions, and means that clubs do not have to dissolve teams that have some players outside the age requirements, or lose teams that have faced much stronger competition.

If all teams from the 2017 W16s, W17/18s and W21s competitions returned in 2018 there would be 25 teams in the Women's Youth League - enough for up to 3 divisions.

FSC statistics support that.

The following table shows the ages of players in the W16s, W17/18s and W21s competitions in 2017. It is estimated this would be enough for 20-25 teams

Age          Players

W16              138
W17              106
W18                62
W19                67
W20               38

What about girls who have been playing W16s but are younger

Players in the W16s competition can be borrowed into the Women’s Youth League competition (maximum of three per team per game).

The WYL Committee has the discretion in exceptional circumstances to allow a player turning 16 in 2018 to register with a Women’s Youth League team.

What about Champion of Champions and the State Cup

FNSW has confirmed that teams from the Women’s Youth League would be able to enter the W18 State Cup and Champion of Champions, provided:

• the players registered to the Women’s Youth League team are age eligible (18 years old or younger); and
• No over-age players have participated in the team during the FSC Women’s Youth League competition.

Football South Coast will nominate a team for the W21 Champion of Champions, which Thirroul has competed in for the past two seasons. 

Junior Registration Now Open For 2018

Junior Registration to play for Thirroul JFC in 2018 is open online from Wednesday, 3 January.

Thirroul JFC will also hold Junior Registration sessions at Thirroul Bowling Club at 10am-2pm Saturday, 3 February and 5.30pm-8pm Monday, 5 February.

To register online, Instructions - including a link about the $100 Active Kids Rebate - are detailed below.

For those wanting to claim the Active Kids Rebate, it is important that you read the information about how to do so BEFORE registering.

The Registration Fee for all Thirroul JFC junior, men's women's and amateur players in 2018 is $180.

This includes FFA, Football NSW and Football South Coast fees, as well as insurance, ground hire and lighting at Gibson Park, referees fees. uniforms, trophies and maintenance costs, such as field maintenance and equipment.

It is a policy of Thirroul JFC that all players pay the same registration fee, whether they play Under 6s or First Grade for the Thunder or Thunderbirds.

However, the families of Mini Roos players (Under 6s to Under 11s) are not required to perform canteen duty during the season.

Where a family has more than one player registering with Thirroul JFC, the following scale will apply – $180 each for the first two players and $150 each for all other immediate family members. The $30 discount applies across the club for players in junior, men’s, women’s and amateur teams.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON REGISTERING ONLINE

Note: Active Kids Rebate and Registration

All school-aged players are eligible for a $100 rebate as part of the NSW Government's Active Kids Program, aimed at encouraging more children to participate in sport.

However, parents can not apply for the rebate until January 31 so there have been some changes to the registration process to ensure they can use it for the 2018 season. 

These are included in the link above for instructions on registering. 

Those choosing the "Active Kids" deferred payment option must register on www.service.nsw.gov.au from 31 January to obtain your "voucher code" for each child.

Once you receive your "voucher code", return to the registration process for the eligible player in myfootball.com.au and enter the code.

Upon doing so, please email details - including the name of the player - to registrar@thirroulfootball.com.au so that the club can ensure the rebate is received.

Registrations can not be completed until this has been done.

The Active Kids rebate is available to every child aged between 4.5 years and 18 years in 2018 who is enrolled in school from Kindergarten to Year 12. This includes those who are home schooled or enrolled in secondary school education at TAFE NSW.

Each child is eligible to claim a $100 Active Kids rebate once in a calendar year to use for any sporting activity.

For further details about the Active Kids Rebate, please read the following attachment from the footballnsw.com.au website.

If you have trouble with your registration the following resources are available to assist you:

• View the Player Registration guides and videos which are on the Resources page of the playfootball.com.au website.
   
• Call FFA Support Centre (02) 8020 4199 if you are having problems with your password to login.