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Sunraysia’s Lightning reps enjoy strong VCL openers

Posted on October 28, 2011

THE long wait was finally over for seven Sunraysia-based members of the Loddon Mallee Lightning Soccer Club, with the 2011/12 Victorian Champions League recently getting underway.

FUTURE STARS: Sunraysia Academy of Sport football program participants Annabel Martin, Piers Cresp, George Voliotis, Yanni Voliotis, Peter Marziano and Jacob Roccisano are among those who will take part in this summer’s Victorian Champions League, lining up with the Loddon Mallee Lightning.

A competition that features several of the region’s more talented soccer players – who have all gained entry into their respective squads through their affiliation with the Sunraysia Academy of Sport’s football program – the Lightning will enter its fourth Champion’s League campaign this season, with several of the club’s participating teams starting the year with a win.

Competing in age groups ranging from Under 13’s to Under 17’s (both boys and girls divisions), the Lightning – who are based in Bendigo – enjoyed a home ground advantage against the North West Wanderers in Round 1.

With all games played at the Epsom Huntly Reserve, the Under 13 girls experienced a tight opening game, with the Wanderers – who were down 1-0 at half time – coming back to beat the Lightning 2-1.

The Under 13 boys enjoyed a far easier time of it compared to their female counterparts, with the Lightning enjoying a 3-0 win over the Wanderers.

The Under 14 boys were on the receiving end of a Wanderers beating, with the Lighting going down 6-0, while in the Under 15 girls, Loddon Mallee proved the best team of the round, enjoying a massive 10-0 win over the North West team.

The Under 15 boy’s competition saw the Lightning and Wanderers battle out a 2-2 draw, while the Lightning’s Under 17 girls proved a force to be reckoned with, accounting for the Wanderers 7-0.

In the final match of the round, the Lightning’s Under 17 boys team also enjoyed a win, beating the Wanderers 2-0.

An initiative of Football Federation Victoria, the Champions League is a summer-based competition which aims to bring the best players from around the State together, while also encouraging continued player development under Football Federation Australia’s national curriculum.

The competition sees the State split into 12 zones (eight metropolitan and four regional), with both boys and girls representative sides in various age groups facing off each week.
Loddon Mallee Lightning squads are selected from the best players in the Central and North West regions of Victoria, including Bendigo, Mildura, Echuca and Swan Hill.

FFV CEO, Mark Rendell, said the VCL acted as a crucial part of group’s talent-identification pathway.

“The Victorian Champions League provides a platform not only for talented player identification, but also provides our most talented coaches and referees with the opportunity to shine,” he said.

“The VCL provides a crucial step along the talented player pathway, and we are proud to be leading the way though our continued commitment to elite player programs and competitions.”

Loddon Mallee head coach, Dave Coward, said the VCL was extremely important in the development of young players.

“It’s definitely the way to go,” he said. “People now know that it is a proven talented player pathway.

“You can’t develop a player to their full potential in six months of the year.

“If these players want to make it at the top level, they have to be prepared to put in the extra yards.”

Dave said that due to the logistics involved in getting the Lightning’s squads – which are spread across Victoria – together for weekly training sessions, a majority of players were opting to train in their home towns, and travel on the weekends.

“I’ve got a very competent person in Mildura (Heather Stamation) running training sessions, and it’s difficult getting the entire squad together for training,” he said.

“What we plan to do for home games is to run a training session on the Saturday before we play on the Sunday, which helps the players gel as a squad.”

Despite the travelling involved for many players, Dave said the VCL’s positive experience was worth the kilometres.

“The interesting development is that we’re bringing players together from a wide area, and they really gel as a team despite coming from so far apart,” he said.

“Where they may have competed against each other in the winter, now they are working together, so the development phase is not only on the field, but off it as well.

“We’ve got a few journeys in the opening weeks, and we’re hoping to play well.”

Locals will have the chance to see the Loddon Mallee sides compete on the weekend of December 3-4, with more information available by visiting www.vcl.footballfedvic.com.au.

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