Glitz and glamour at Futsal Dinner
Senior players in eye-catching attire and juniors in smart outfits and beautiful dresses mingled comfortably with Football NSW officials as the state Futsal community banded together to congratulate this year?s award winners.
All clubs were well represented and combined terrifically for a spirited atmosphere at the formal event, exemplified by mannered kids, proud parents and a sense of camaraderie.
Football NSW CEO Eddie Moore compeered the night?s activities, with Board Member Mark Reading delivering a warm welcome to all guests as he applauded this year?s competitions as the best yet.
All up there were 120 award winners but Inner West Allstars can take the biggest bow as Premier League club champions, perhaps the highest Futsal honour in NSW and probably Australia.
Allstars finished the season on 250 points, 18 clear of Enfield Rovers, to claim their sixth club championship in eight years and the achievement?s significance is not lost on president Matteo Maiorana.
?It was a massive effort by everyone at the club. Our intention at the start of every season is to win the club championship,? he said.
?Our seven young teams made the finals, three were minor premiers and the 14 Boys won their grand final after going through the whole season undefeated, and our two senior sides only just missed out on making the finals, so all up that was a terrific achievement.?
Phoenix Futsal Club gained promotion to the 2012/12 Premier League season after topping the Super League competition on 204 points, 23 ahead of closest rivals Sutherland.
Phoenix president called the acknowledgement very pleasing and applauded his club?s active engagement.
?It?s a very nice reflection not only of the players and teams but also of all the people who helped get them there,? he said.
?People like [competition secretary] Penny Woodroof and [vice president] Ross hunter who manage the game days magnificently and [head coach] Elliott Jurd do plenty of work behind the scenes, but one of the really nice things about the club is the level of support we receive from the parents and players, many of who coach the younger teams ? all of which engenders a really good club spirit.?
Having been crowned Super League?s best, Mr Brown is now looking forward to mixing it with the big boys.
?We?re very excited about going into premier league. It?s certainly going to be a challenge and one we will relish,? he said.
?We were ecstatic about our performance this year and now we get to take it to the next level. It will be a lot tougher, but when you play against quality players you usually lift your game and we?re confident of holding our own.?
?Our only expectation is to play good Futsal, for the players to enjoy themselves, and for the club to be very competitive. Hopefully by the end of the season all of our players will be better for the experience.?
Premier League coach of the year went to Dural youth men?s mentor Tobias Seeto who enjoyed a great summer with the Warriors. Dural had been the in-form team all summer and finished top of the regular season pile before eventually being bettered by Campbelltown Quake in a spirited grand final.
Super League coach of the year Nick Verdos had a full plate coaching West City Crusaders? 14 Boys, 16 Boys and youth men outfits, all three making the finals and the 14 Boys and youth men sides going down in their respective grand finals, but he?s certainly grateful for the opportunity presented to him.
?Last year I coached the 14 Boys and they finished unbeaten, but five of the boys had to go up a level so I felt obliged to stay with the younger ones and also continue the development of the older players,? he said.
?With youth men I had a bunch of kids that wanted to play together, so the idea in the long run was to have me stay with the boys as they were developing so I knew how well each of them was going.?
?[With Futsal] I love the fact you can teach the boys in the off season and it keeps them sharp and tough, and they can stay fit.?
Verdos, 25, played football in the Blacktown district before an injury nine years ago saw him turn his focus to coaching and he started a connection with outdoor club Mount Druitt Town Rangers.
A few years ago he ventured into Futsal as an assistant coach and the move is bearing fruit. He was named Rangers clubman and Crusaders coach of the year in 2011 before being named Futsal super league top coach this year to go along with his elevation to Rangers vice president.
?It?s quite flattering being presented with these awards and I?m very happy with where everything is heading,? he said.
?I really have to thank [Crusaders president] Warren Ladd for giving me the opportunity to coach and the freedom to coach three teams and I also have to thank all the boys and their parents for all their great support.?
ACT-based Daniel Fulton received the highest individual honour of the night with the premier league golden boot also taking home the senior men?s most valuable player award. It definitely starts a month of highlights for Fulton, who jets off to Vietnam to play in the Asian club championship with Maccabi Hakoah before coming back home to marry his sweetheart Esmarie on March 24.
The Canberra born and bred scored an outstanding 24 goals in 14 games for Boomerangs FS (including five against premiers Enfield) in a brilliant homecoming year. Winning the MVP award put the cream on top.
?It?s something that doesn?t come along very often so getting it is a good achievement,? he said. ?I?d won the super league MVP the last two years and New Zealand national league MVP, but this one is the icing on the cake.?
?I?d like to thank Esmarie for letting me play every weekend, and Kristian [men?s co-coach Collins] at the club makes it so much easier on us as players, so the support I get at home is a big thing. I also want to thank Damian [Futsal co-ordinator Briggs] and the boys at Football NSW as they do run the best comp in Australia, and my sponsors Joma [European futsal brand] have also been terrific.?
Fulton, 23, started Futsal as a spritely 10-year-old at Trinity Christian School and ?really liked the amount of touches you get on the ball ? you?re always involved?. He played his first nationals in 2000, moved into the NSW leagues aged 16, but recently felt the timing was right to go back home and help develop Boomerangs FS. He has also been a fringe player with the Futsalroos.
?The last few years have been a bit of a struggle trying to break into the Futsalroos main squad, but if I keep doing what I?m doing my chance will come,? he said. ?The Asian championships in Dubai this May is my main focus now.?
Sydney City Eagles star Renee Tomkins was stunned to be chosen best player in the premier league?s open women?s competition after helping her team come from second last on the ladder in round four to finish second behind Enfield. They were then pipped 3-2 by Campbelltown in a thrilling grand final.
Tomkins, 25, joined Cranebrook High?s and hasn?t looked back. She counted the MVP trophy as a career highlight.
?I was over the moon as I wasn?t expecting it at all,? she said. ?I started Futsal as a kid and liked it straight away. I won the golden boot with [Liverpool] Fusion a few years ago but this award is the best one, definitely.?
?I have to thank my coach Roy [Cowie] and my team for standing by me, and my boyfriend Rick for turning up each week and supporting me. I?d like to help the team go one better next year if we can.?
Hussein Akil was unable to accept his Super League MVP trophy as he?s currently playing in Singapore but the Sydney Futsal Club player was a force to be reckoned with in the summer open men?s competition.
Sutherland Shire?s Melissah Parlato was pleasantly surprised to win the super league open women?s MVP award for the second year running.
Sutherland won their final game to overtake Phoenix for the minor premiership and then beat their rivals 3-1 in the grand final. Parlato was a big factor in their successful season but refused to accept the MVP as an individual honour.
?It was a big shock to win it again this year but all my team deserves this award as we had to go through a lot of ups and downs and we all played our best,? she said.
Parlato, 20, got into Futsal at Enfield five years ago before moving to Sutherland in 2010. The fitness instructor?s next aim is to help her club move up a level.
?One of my coaches from outdoor asked me to play Futsal and I?ve never looked back. I love the game,? she said, ?and the big goal for us next year is to get into premier league.?
The full list of award winners is listed below.
Club Champions
Premier League Inner West Allstars
Super League Phoenix Futsal Club
Premiers and Champions
Premier League
12 Boys Premiers Mascot Vipers
12 Boys Champions Enfield Rovers
12 Girls Premiers Inner West Allstars
12 Girls Champions Mascot Vipers
14 Boys Premiers Inner West Allstars
14 Boys Champions Inner West Allstars
14 Girls Premiers Inner West Allstars
14 Girls Champions Campbelltown City Quake
16 Boys Premiers Campbelltown City Quake
16 Boys Champions Campbelltown City Quake
16 Girls Premiers Enfield Rovers
16 Girls Champions Enfield Rovers
Youth Men Premiers Dural Warriors
Youth Men Champions Campbelltown City Quake
Women Premiers Enfield Rovers
Women Champions Campbelltown City Quake
Men Premiers Enfield Rovers
Men Champions Dural Warriors
Super League
12 Boys Premiers Phoenix Futsal Club
12 Boys Champions Maccabi Futsal
12 Girls Premiers Northern Tigers
12 Girls Champions Greater Western Sydney Vikings
14 Boys Premiers Mountain Majik
14 Boys Champions Mountain Majik
14 Girls Premiers Phoenix Futsal Club
14 Girls Champions Phoenix Futsal Club
16 Boys Premiers Sutherland Shire
16 Boys Champions Phoenix Futsal Club
16 Girls Premiers Sutherland Shire
16 Girls Champions Sutherland Shire
Youth Men Premiers Northern Tigers
Youth Men Champions Northern Tigers
Women Premiers Sutherland Shire
Women Champions Sutherland Shire
Men Premiers Maccabi Futsal
Men Champions Maccabi Futsal
Coach of the Year – Premier League Tobias Seeto (Dural Warriors Youth Men)
Coach of the Year – Super League Nick Verdos (West City Crusaders 14/16 Boys, Youth Men)
Premier League ? Most Valuable Player
12 Boys Daniel Arzani Mascot Vipers
12 Girls Lissa Mumbulla Mascot Vipers
14 Boys Alusine Fofanah Inner West Allstars
14 Girls Hannah Bacon Mascot Vipers
16 Boys Bruno Antelmi Campbelltown Quake
16 Girls Sarah Yatim Enfield Rovers
Youth Men Jake McGing Campbelltown Quake
Women Renee Tomkins Sydney City Eagles
Mens Daniel Fulton Boomerangs FS
Premier League ? Golden Boot
12 Boys Nathan Muskita Inner West Allstars
12 Girls Princess Ibini-Isei Inner West Allstars
14 Boys Marko Filipovic Sydney City Eagles
14 Girls Rhianna Pollicina Inner West Allstars
16 Boys Bruno Antelmi Campbelltown Quake
16 Girls Sarah Yatim Enfield Rovers
Youth Men Lukas Cole Boomerangs FS
Women Paloma Oliveira Enfield Rovers
Men Daniel Fulton Boomerangs FS
Premier League ? Goalkeeper of the Year
12 Boys Jordan Geddes Dural Warriors
12 Girls Mallory Basett Dural Warriors
14 Boys Dominic Breckenridge Sydney City Eagles
14 Girls Jessica Urquhart Enfield Rovers
16 Boys Chris Howell Campbelltown Quake
16 Girls Sarah Easthope Enfield Rovers
Youth Men Luis Soto Mascot Vipers
Women Tani Rosekelly Enfield Rovers
Men Peter Spathis Sydney City Eagles
Super League ? Most Valuable Player
12 Boys Jeremy Stein Botany Bay Pirates
12 Girls Cassidy Childgey Greater Western Sydney Vikings
14 Boys Emmanuel Gonzalez Mountain Majik
14 Girls Layla Leccas Phoenix Futsal Club
16 Boys Robert Ezekiel Maccabi Futsal
16 Girls Jordan Baker Sutherland Shire
Youth Men Shiyar Cakal West City Crusaders
Women Melissah Parlato Sutherland Shire
Mens Hussein Akil Sydney Futsal Club
Super League ? Golden Boot
12 Boys Luke Ivanovic FCB Australasia
12 Girls Cassidy Childgey Greater Western Sydney Vikings
14 Boys Emmanuel Gonzalez Mountain Majik
14 Girls Layla Leccas Phoenix Futsal Club
16 Boys Dean Bereveskos FCB Australasia
16 Girls Jordan Baker Sutherland Shire
Youth Men Mervan Cakal West City Crusaders
Women Tiarn Powell Phoenix Futsal Club
Men David McMurray West City Crusaders
Super League ? Goalkeeper of the Year
12 Boys Max Mcilvride Mountain Majik
12 Girls Courtney Newbon Sutherland Shire
14 Boys Alexander Bouziannis Greater Western Sydney Vikings
14 Girls Cassandra Klun Botany Bay Pirates
16 Boys Bradley Peryman Sutherland Shire
16 Girls Eden Manouk Botany Bay Pirates
Youth Men Shiyar Cakal West City Crusaders
Women Elise O’Kelly West City Crusaders
Men Costa D’Addona Sydney Futsal Club
Referee of the Year Jonathon Moore
Mario Mazzeo Award (Young Referee of the Year) Salma Aly
Media Award James Brackenrig
-By Dan De Nardi
