Special football team kicks off

By Stuart Teather
CRANBOURNE Football Club is well on its way to establishing a football team for the intellectually disabled after hosting a pair of successful ‘Come and Try Days’, recently.
The club has been working with the Football Integration Development Association (FIDA) that runs a three-division league throughout Melbourne.
FIDA general manager Peter Ryan said the two ‘Come and Try Days’, held on Sunday and Thursday last week at Casey Fields, were both successful.
“We had a good response on the Sunday and we followed it up on the Thursday that was a bit less,” he said.
“We got great support from the senior players on the Sunday, all the senior players came down and it was virtually one-on-one drills for everyone that turned up.
“Speaking to the players and checking it out they all enjoyed it, so I’m sure once we get started they’ll be all there.”
The team will need between 18-20 players to field a side this year, as teams in division-three have 12 players on the field at any one time.
The season kicks off on 26 April, but Ryan said the club could start at any stage during the season.
“Whether or not we’ll be ready for that (round-one) is doubtful, but we’ll keep running training sessions and come and try days.”
The club’s first training session will be on Tuesday, 14 April at 5.30pm to 6.30pm at EG Allen Reserve on Grant St, in Cranbourne and new players are welcome to attend.
For further information contact Peter Ryan on 0417 372 070.