Big year ahead for Blacktown District Soccer FA
The upcoming grassroots football season promises to be a big one for the Blacktown and Districts Soccer Football Association (BDSFA), with 2018 marking 40 years since the Association’s inception.
Current Socceroos Matthew Ryan and Mile Jedinak, as well as Matildas superstar Kyah Simon are just some of the famous names that have come through the Association over the years.
Ryan played junior football at Plumpton Oakhurst, while Socceroos captain Jedinak – who famously scored a hat-trick to seal the Socceroos qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia – took his first steps as a young footballer at Rooty Hill RSL.
Even professional race driver Mark Winterbottom started his own sporting career at the Doonside Hawks.
Having started with just 10 clubs in 1979, the BDSFA has grown to incorporate over 25 clubs over the course of its history and houses the National Premier Leagues New South Wales Men’s outfit, the Blacktown Spartans.
BDSFA CEO Bill Kostandas said the year marked a special anniversary for the Association, with big plans afoot to celebrate the milestone.
“We’ll be having an end-of-season dinner to celebrate at the end of the year to help celebrate some of the clubs and their people who have given so much to the Association and to the sport of football in general,” he said.
“Some of the inaugural clubs aren’t around anymore, but we’re looking through the history books and identifying people who have played an important role in this Association’s history and we’ll be looking to celebrate their contributions to the game over the last four decades.”
Outside of the celebrations, the BDSFA is also looking to launch its own version of Football New South Wales’ George Churchward medal – which will be awarded to a member of the football community within the BDSFA for an outstanding contribution to the local game.
Laurie Archer has been involved with the Association for the better part of 18 years and is heading up the BDSFA’s sub-committee to plan the 40-year celebrations.
“I started at Rooty Hill RSL and I think it was 18 years ago I stood for election on the board and it’s sort of gone from there,” he said.
“At first I was a recorder and then eventually I became the competitions manager.
“It’s been good to be around for so long and I think it will be good to recognise some of the people who have made the Association so special over the years.”
Archer said the sub-committee had been delving into the history books to learn more about the people who helped to shape the Association and its clubs.
“We’ve found some great names in the history books. Mark Winterbottom, the race driver, was an interesting one but from a football perspective obviously the likes of Mile Jedinak and Mat Ryan from the Socceroos and Kyah Simon from the Matildas have all played in the Association,” Archer said.
“But it’s not just the players we’re finding. We’re finding people who have been involved in their clubs since day dot. Some guys have been playing for over 30 years and are still playing, others started as players and are now on committees, it’s been great to see.
“We’re really looking forward to learning more about the people who have shaped this Association and celebrating their contributions over the course of the year.”
If you are involved with a club in the BDSFA and know someone who has been involved with your local club for over 10 years, make sure you send your tips to the BDSFA office.
You can contact the Association on 9675 1211 or via email on: admin@bdsfa.com
-By Matt Galea
