A year of success for Southland Football

19 October 2010
MEDIA RELEASE

A year of success for Southland Football

It has been a year of positive developments and success for Southland Football – something they share in common with their junior competition principal sponsor SBS Bank.

Southland Football regional development officer Ken Cresswell said there had been many highlights around the 2010 season with the association’s $1.8 million Turnbull Thomson Park redevelopment project and the interest generated around the new state-of-the-art artificial turf.

This interest had also been spurred on by the achievements of the All Whites at the World Cup in South Africa, which had been hugely beneficial for the future growth of the sport.

“The attention the turf has generated from other regions around the country and the growth in player numbers has led to it being a very exciting year.
“Our junior season involved 48 teams, up slightly on last year, and the enthusiasm of all our young players and the weekly support and encouragement of their families has been fantastic.

It was expected those numbers would definitely increase again for next season.
“The future of New Zealand Football is guided by the strength of the country’s young player base and if the weight and enthusiasm of the up-and-coming junior talent in Southland stacks up then Ricki Herbert can start rubbing his hands together in anticipation,” Mr Cresswell said.

Mr Cresswell said the level of competition had been great during the season and everyone involved could be extremely proud of their efforts.

Those efforts would be presented at a special awards night to recognise the achievements of the outstanding representative age group players during the campaign this year. The awards night would be held at SBS Bank Invercargill branch on Wednesday 20 October, stating at 7pm.

SBS Bank’s Invercargill manager Neil Bramley said it had been an exciting season to be involved as principal sponsor with the Southland Junior Football competition with it being such a significant time for the sport in the south.
“A number of our staff are involved at both coaching and playing levels with Southland Football and it is excellent to see the local sport in such good shape.
“At SBS Bank we take great pleasure in being able to actively demonstrate our commitment to supporting our members and our communities and our Southland Football sponsorship has been another opportunity to exemplify that support.
“We wish the association even more exciting times ahead as they work through stage two of their major redevelopment project and the $400,000 upgrade of the pavilion now underway.”

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