The future of soccer in the region is alive and well after Albury Wodonga Football Association’s (AWFA) under 16s representative team went undefeated through the prestigious Bathurst Cup.
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AWFA’s top junior stars took out Belconnen 2-0 in the final to claim the title for the first time.
Coach Geoff Stevenson couldn’t be happier with the side’s performance.
“They used to go up there being the easy beats and they really surprised them,” Stevenson said.
“It’s a really good promise for football in this area and how it’s growing.
“We’ve got a few other tournaments this year and they’ll be a really good team to watch.
“A couple of those teams had four different coaches and they’ve come out and showed their ability and where football is at in this area.”
Stevenson said the team was always able to find another level when it needed it the most.
“We had to win our last game to get to the semi-finals and they won it 1-0 against Sutherland Shire,” he said.
“They finished strong to hold them out.
“There was a big injury time in the semi-final against Wagga.
“We were 1-1 for a while and with only a couple of minutes to go we scored to get to the final.
“We played Belconnen (in the final) and they hadn’t lost a game and finished top in our section.
“We had a 3-3 draw with them earlier in the tournament, so I was fairly confident that if the boys stuck to it we could beat them and they won 2-0.”
Stevenson said the playing group has been training non-stop since the end of last season and the result is just reward for the hard they have put in.
“A lot of them have been together for a few years and have had no success for a long time, so all the hard work is really paying off now and they’re playing as one unit, which is really showing,” he said.
“They’re not worried about who they play now, their confidence is through the roof.”
The playing group will have a short break from representative training and return to club level for the start of the AWFA season.
“It’s a real stepping stone for them to come up to senior football and we’ll prepare for our next lot of tournaments, which will be the Victorian Championships and the Kanga Cup,” Stevenson said.
AWFA’s impressive run included a 3-0 win against hosts Bathurst District Football Association, a 0-0 draw with Blacktown, a 3-3 draw with Belconnen United, before a 1-0 win against Sutherland Shire to qualify for the semi-finals.
The team was once again proudly sponsored by Lakeal Homes and East Albury IGA, who assisted the players in reaching the tournament.