Illawarra Football Association stage successful season launch for 2009

From this season the Illawarra Premier League player of the grand final will be awarded the Scott Chipperfield Medal. The best player in the District League grand final will receive the Matthew Horsley Medal.
IFA president Eddy De Gabriele said the selection of the honours was based on the criteria of who had represented Illawarra football across all tiers of the game from junior to international levels.
?These two men are fantastic ambassadors for our game and our region,? said Mr De Gabriele. ?They are also an example for our young players and what can happen when raw talent is backed by corporate support and tireless work by clubs and their Association. If we keep getting this right in the Illawarra the region will continue its fine heritage of producing national team players.?
Chipperfield described the decision as a great honour. ?It?s a very proud moment for me. I?ve been associated with Wollongong soccer for more than 20 years, coming through the juniors. I still have a lot of friends and family in Wollongong and always keep up to date with the results.?
Matthew Horsley?s father Barry spoke at the launch and said he was proud of his son?s football journey.
?Matthew and the whole family are tremendously honoured and surprised tonight,? he said.
Several Illawarra Socceroo legends were also feted at the launch including 1974 World Cup striker Adrian Alston and 1956 Olympic Games team captain Bob Bignell.
Mr De Gabriele also announced that the Illawarra Mercury had signed as naming rights sponsor for the Illawarra Premier League. The Mercury has made a formal commitment to allocate a full page each week for IFA news and statistics.
?This new sponsorship, along with the fantastic support of all those who contribute to our competitions, afford us the opportunity to provide our children with a robust foundation for their development,? Mr De Gabriele said.
?It?s exciting for our sport that a blue chip newspaper, the Illawarra Mercury, will take over the naming rights of our top competition. We are attracting major businesses as our sponsors.?
More than 350 officials, sponsors and members of the football family attended the launch on Wednesday evening.