2017 is here, and it is set to be a very exciting year for Bardon Latrobe Football Club (BLFC).
Following on from our club’s centennial celebrations last year, a new excitement regarding the future of the club, and what the next 100 years might bring sparked an increasing interest by many regarding where our not for profit, community football club is heading, and what can be done to deliver the best possible outcomes, particularly for our junior and senior players, their coaches, managers, parents and partners.
This new wave of interest was reflected in an influx of new committee members nominating, and being elected at the club’s Annual General Meeting, which was held in the lead up to the Christmas break. The majority of the new committee members are current or former BLFC players, including (for example) our new Treasurer, Samuel Irvine Casey. In addition to bringing his experience as an employee in the financial industry and his knowledge of modern electronic accounting software, Samuel has been both a junior and senior player at the club, having first played for BLFC in the Under 6’s. He has also been a dedicated junior coach at the club and a junior club captain, and will bring his knowledge of the challenges and joys of these role to the committee table.
Like Samuel, the members of the new committee bring a range of knowledge, skills and experience, both from their professional lives and as players, coaches and/or parents of current players at BLFC.
While the first committee meeting for 2017 was held just last week, it is already evident that the work of the new committee will be driven by a passion and enthusiasm for ensuring the best possible future for the club and its members. Priorities include an accelerated timeline for enhancing club facilities and fields, a commitment to increase the opportunities for team-level coaches to access training courses and qualifications from FFA recognised football agencies, enhanced two-way communication channels between the teams and the committee, and ensuring good governance as a not for profit community organisation.
In keeping with these priorities, the committee is implementing a new coaching program designed to increase access to accredited training for team-level coaches, enhancing team-committee communications and more accurately reflect both the nature of our volunteer-based community football club and its current financial constraints. This will see the attention of the committee, and the redirection of limited resources to the support and development of our team-level volunteer coaches. It will also see the introduction of volunteer age-level coordinators. Position descriptions for these roles are currently being developed and will be open to applications from any members of the BLFC coaching community eager to become more involved in shaping the future of the club.
While the committee is confident this new direction will deliver the best possible long term outcome for the club, it does mean that there will no longer be a paid head of junior coaching role. As many of you will know, BLFC has been engaging the services of Sean “Chucky” Armstrong to provide head of junior coaching services for the past 23 years. His presence is deeply entrenched in the club’s modern history. He has been more than a contract coach, he has been a part of the BLFC family, and as a life member of the Club his presence shall always be a welcome sight on the sideline of any BLFC match. We wish him every success in the future.
In keeping with our commitment to good governance we shall keep you up to date with developments as they occur, including the development of the new coaching program, the creation of a BLFC-run holiday program and opportunities for coaches to participate, access training opportunities and to provide input on your challenges and ideas for our community football club.
More information will be available at our BLFC Information Day to be held at the Bardon Bowls Club, Bowman Parade on the 5th February. Should you have an urgent query before then please contact us.
We look forward to the new opportunities that 2017 brings for our community club.