Club Changer Club of the month for May – Maroubra United

Football NSW has named Maroubra United Football Club as its Club Changer Club of the Month for May, recognising the club’s outstanding commitment to creating a positive environment for players, volunteers, officials, and supporters.

Club Changer is Football Australia’s Club Development Program, which aims to protect and enhance clubs to make them stronger and more resilient while planning for long-term sustainability and success.

Reflecting on the club’s impact within the region, Eastern Suburbs Football Association CEO John Boulous praised Maroubra United’s continued growth and community focus.

“Maroubra United FC stands as the largest club within the Eastern Suburbs Football Association, and its continued year-on-year growth — now surpassing 1,600 players — is a testament to the strength of its community and vision. More than just a football club, Maroubra United provides inclusive opportunities for players of all ages and abilities, fostering participation, development, and connection.

On any given match day, Coral Sea Park becomes a vibrant hub of activity, reflecting the club’s spirit and energy. This success is underpinned by a dedicated and tireless group of volunteers, led by President Adam Lee and his committee, whose commitment ensures the club continues to thrive both on and off the field.”

“With ten 1-star clubs, it’s fantastic to see such good engagement with Club Changer within the Eastern Suburbs Football Association footprint, and we are pleased to see the continued growth and success of our clubs in this space.”

Speaking on behalf of Maroubra United FC, club president Adam Lee reflected on the culture, people, and volunteer network that underpin the club’s success.

“Maroubra United FC is a truly grassroots, community-based club built on belief and a mission to provide ‘Football for All’. We are entirely volunteer-run, with our committee members, coaches, managers and other volunteers dedicating their time to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for players and families of all ages and abilities.

“This community-first approach has helped us grow into the largest football club in the Eastern Suburbs, with over 1,600 playing members and well over 100+ volunteers. We strive to provide the best possible experience, not only for those who pull on the Maroubra United jersey, but for visiting club members as well, and always aim to make Coral Sea Park a safe place for all football community members — and we absolutely cannot manage that without our fantastic volunteers.

“From my mother, who is the Queen of the Coral Sea Park BBQ, feeding hungry mouths since I joined as a U6s player in 1994, to other volunteers like our very own all-round handymen Frank and Eddie (whom we lovingly call ‘Fred’), who have been around the club for 30+ years — to our two longest-serving presidents, John Reid and Ian Robinson, who kept the club going strong throughout the 90s, 2000s and 2010s. Frank also leads our Walking Football program, the only one of its kind in the Eastern Suburbs — which plays a very important part in providing football opportunities to our whole community.

“But of course, you cannot forget the parents and volunteers we have as coaches and managers. Over the last 3–4 years, we have invested a lot into our coaching program. These investments include covering costs for coaches who wish to obtain their Foundations of Football, C-Licences and B-Licences. We have also partnered with ‘The Coaching Manual’, which has an online library of resources that our volunteer coaches can use to prepare and run their training sessions.

“We are lucky enough to have our coaching cohort headed up by a team of experienced and licensed coaches, led by Brendon Pitt as our Technical Director. Brendon has built out season-long training plans through The Coaching Manual, run coaching clinics, and dedicated his time to one-on-one sessions for coaches seeking to improve.

“Our volunteers are the heart and soul of the club, and I could not have been blessed with a better bunch of people. I am proud to have them on the committee, helping guide the club, along with a dedicated 100+ volunteer coaches who put their hand up week in, week out to coach our 1,600+ players.”

Football NSW’s Program Manager for Club Development, Trevor Huxley, commended the club’s forward-thinking approach.

“It’s great to see Maroubra United FC go from strength to strength with a positive and inclusive club culture and volunteer program, and it’s testament to all their hard work in this space that they’ve been awarded the Club Changer Club of the Month.”

Interested clubs can direct Club Changer enquiries to trevorh@footballnsw.com.au or visit the Football NSW Club Changer webpage.