by Chris Yeend
Kilmore Football Netball Club needs senior footballers and netballers urgently ahead of the upcoming 2015 Riddell District Football Netball League season.
The club will host a special meeting at the JJ Clancy Reserve next Wednesday night from 7.30pm to discuss the future and encourage greater community involvement to help take the club forward.
Recent concerns were expressed by the club with limited numbers in the senior football and netball teams. The committee also lacks volunteer numbers to assist the club off the field.
"We seem to be lacking numbers in football, netball and helpers, they are few and far between," said club president, David Milne.
Milne and the club remain hopeful of new members joining the committee at the meeting on Wednesday.
"We want an input for which direction the club should go and what strategies could be put in place to the club," Milne said.
There is a possibility that the club may not field a senior football team in 2015. The Blues are scheduled to play away to Wallan in their round one on Saturday, April 18. Clubs in the RDFNL have two byes throughout the season and if Kilmore is unable to field a senior team, a resolution will need to be made as to whether the footballers will go into recess for the season or field teams in the other grades with the numbers it contains.
Despite these concerns, Milne is not considering that possibility and urges the community to move forward.
"We're not looking at what happened to get us here, we are just determined to look forward and work towards building a successful club," Milne said, "Any helping hand would be much appreciated."
The Blues contain a healthy group of juniors that will be the backbone of the club on and off the field and their results on the field indicate that there is a healthy long-term future. The Under 18.5s footballers made it to the preliminary final last year, losing to eventual premier, Rupertswood. Most of the squad will be retained with the addition of a number of emerging stars from the Under 16s. Travis McCarty and David Wightman bring invaluable experience to the club as co-coaches. McCarty has a background in junior development with the Calder Cannons and interleague. Along with Wightman, the duo have great experience to build a successful senior team.
Kilmore has the support of the RDFNL and AFL Goldfields.
"Kilmore is a highly respected club in the RDFNL and we will be doing our best to work with and support the club for the short and long-term future," said AFL Goldfields Regional General Manager Rod Ward.
*Listen to 100.7 Highlands FM this Friday from 6pm and Saturday from 12pm as the Sports Wrap team catches up with Kilmore president David Milne*
Last Modified on 19/03/2015 16:47