Wollongong Community FC preparing for 2010

? The club is proud to announce that The GPT Group will be the clubs? major sponsor for season 2010.
This sponsorship also incorporates the Illawarra Stingrays , recent winners of the Arrive alive Women?s? Premier League providing evidence of the new found co-operation of all Football bodies in the area through the process of unification under Football South Coast.
On top of the retention of the majority of last years sponsors the club starts the new season on a sound financial platform provided by the generous support of The GPT Group.
? The club has appointed highly respected coach Trevor Morgan as the Club Head Coach for season 2010.
Trevor?s? work over many years with young players fits well with the strategic plans of the club in providing pathways for the 9000 juniors that play football in the area of The Illawarra. Combined with the work of Technical Director Glen Fontana in establishing an elite pathway over the past few years it is expected that an ever increasing number of the talented young players of the area will progress to first team football and beyond.
The club managed to have four of its junior teams play semi final football in season 2009 with three of those teams managing to win their individual grand finals, the Under 13, Under 16 and Under 18 teams.
This success of the junior teams further indicates the traditional strength of the Illawarra as a breeding ground for talented footballers and gives the club good reason to feel confident about its long term playing future.
? The advent and implementation of football unification under Football South Coast augurs well for the future of football in the area.
As with the other football bodies in the area WCFC comes under the banner of Football South Coast and the benefits of being part of as much larger football family are starting to materialise.
The Illawarra Junior Football Association has financially provided support for the club in 2009; similarly the clubs of the Illawarra Football Association are expected to provide similar support to that of the IJFA.
This support has been approved by the board of the IFA with confirmation by the clubs expected early next week. The importance of the elite development pathway has not been lost on Football South Coast and the member associations of this unified group.
? Further evolvement of the football pathway seems imminent with the recent announcement from FFA CEO Ben Buckley, as reported in The Illawarra Mercury on Wednesday September 30th, regarding the South Coast A-League bid, ?However Buckley acknowledged that there was scope for youth and women?s football to be played on the South Coast?.
?We will remain in close discussion with them regarding potential future plans for the South Coast including women?s and youth football?. South Coast A-League chairman Eddy DeGabrielle then added, ?This would deliver the pathway, the national platform, we are seeking for footballers in this area.?
These exciting factors point to a bright future for WCFC, under the new structure of unified football in The Illawarra under Football South Coast.

-Press Release ? Wollongong Community Football Club