With registrations to play football this year officially opening tomorrow, Thursday, February 1 the Tigers are looking towards another fantastic season of fun, football and fair play in 2018.
The Tuncurry-Forster Football Club ran a successful Aldi MiniRoos KickOff program prior to Christmas for players aged 4-6, and is looking to do so again in the lead-up to the season start in mid April.
TFFC’s coaching co-ordinator and NNSWF accredited coach educator Jonathon Newman will be taking prospective MiniRoos (under six to under 11) coaches and players through a club-based KickOff program again in the lead-up to the start of the season.
This program will familiarise coaches with training session structure to allow the kids to familiarise themselves with the playing format and to start developing some skills, and most importantly to ensure that the young players have fun.
All newly registered MiniRoos players will receive a new club polo shirt when they register as well.
This year sees the first year of the NSW Government’s Active Kids Program, which provides a $100 voucher for every junior school aged player.
In order to access this voucher, players need firstly to register with Service NSW on their website before signing up to play football. This initiative means there will be no cost for under six and seven players at TFFC this season, with heavily discounted registration fees for all other junior players.
All MiniRoos coaches at the club will be given the opportunity to complete the FFA’s Aldi MiniRoos Certificate Coaching Course (under six-under nine) prior to the start of the season, and there will also be a Skill Training Coaching Course for coaches of players aged nine to 13 held in March.
These courses, as well as a number of game training certificate courses for coaches of players aged 13 to 17, will supplement TFFC’s ongoing in-house coach development program.
This program has been running for many years now, and sees the club heavily represented in local representative sides from junior through to senior level. In recent seasons the club’s competitive junior teams have been very successful, with 2017 no exception as the Tigers were grand final champions and premiers in under 18s and under 16s, grand finalists in under 15s, semifinalists in under 14s and finalists in under 12s.
These teams were coached by accredited coaches, and featured many players from the club’s junior academy, established in 2010. The Tigers’ academy is coached by FFA Advanced C Licence holder Scott Fletcher, assisted by Julian Mallia and Mick Stocker.
The Tigers junior teams will have the opportunity to get some great preseason match practice this year, with Broadmeadow Magic Youth FC inviting the Tigers to Magic Park on the February 25 for a day of trial matches for teams from under nine through to under 18s, and then on March 11 Kahiba FC from Newcastle will bring all its sides from under 10s upwards to Tuncurry for what should be a great fun day of trial matches.
FMNC’s NPL under 18 team has again sought a trial match against the Tigers 18s for late February, after a very successful preseason trial last year.
In order to help get teams sorted for these preseason days, the club will host a family fun afternoon this Sunday, February 4 at the Tuncurry Sports Complex from 4PM, with small sided games and help on hand to assist with the registration process.
At senior level, the Tigers is looking to build on 2017 where they lost the premier league reserve grade men’s and women’s Southern League grand finals, made the finals in over 35s and narrowly missed semifinal qualification in first grade and third grade.
A change in coaching staff at premier league level sees Jason Coombes take the reins of the club’s first grade side, with Kevin Chapman the new reserve grade coach.
Coombes has taken the club’s reserve grade to consecutive finals series, and brings a wealth of high level coaching and playing experience as well as an FFA Advanced Level C Licence.
With a long season ahead, the Tigers have opted for an eight week preseason this year with trial games at the Nambucca Strikers Challenge Cup in March, away to Newcastle based opposition, home against Kahiba’s New FM Northern League One side, and the FFA Cup.
Training will begin on Tuesday, February 13 at the Tuncurry Sports Complex at 6PM sharp.
All new and returning senior and under 18 players are invited to attend.
The Tigers women’s side will begin their preseason training under the guidance of returning coach Matt Thompson on Wednesday, February 7 at 6PM at the Tuncurry Oval, and again all new and returning players are invited to attend.
All prospective players are encouraged to check out the club’s website at www.TFFC.sportingpulse.net or the club’s facebook page for all the latest news and information regarding registration and the 2018 season.
