Sydney Hills Football Association Will Drive Growth Of Football in NW
Published on 28 November 2014
The establishment of a Sydney Hills Football Association would help drive the growth of the game in Sydney’s North West at a time of unprecedented popularity according to Hills Shire Mayor Clr Andrew Jefferies, Hawkesbury MP Ray Williams, Baulkham Hills MP David Elliott and Hills association convenor Ryan Williams.
Mayor Jefferies said the time was right for Hills Clubs to form their own league and break away from the Granville & Districts Soccer Football Association and the Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association.
“Football NSW has a fantastic opportunity to help drive the growth of the game in Sydney’s North West by allowing Hills clubs to stand on their own,” Mayor Jefferies said.
“A Hills Football Association has the full support of the Hills Shire Council and we have guaranteed every club’s security of grounds both now and in the future should they choose to join a Hills association. With more than 11,000 registered players in the Hills, I believe it is important our community has their own Football association.”
The prospective association’s convenor Ryan Williams said that he was blown away by the positive response from Hills clubs to the concept.
“15 local soccer clubs have pledged their support to form a new Hills Football Association which will have the potential to foster young talented players from juniors right through to senior level in our own backyard. This will also save families valuable hours currently spent sitting in traffic by having our own local competition,” he said.
Baulkham Hills MP David Elliott said that football had to capitalise on the game’s recent boom in popularity.
“Every other sporting code including AFL and NRL has prominence in the Hills except football which is currently at the peak of its popularity thanks to the success of the Western Sydney Wanderers. A Hills Football Association will help promote football as the dominant sport in our north western region,” Mr Elliott said.
Hawkesbury MP Ray Williams said that not only did a local association have enough players now, but it would experience enormous growth over the next two decades.
“100,000 new homes will be built in the North West over the next 15 years, 26,000 blocks of land are currently under construction in the Hills area alone. A new Hills Football Association is perfectly placed to promote soccer in one of the fastest growing areas in this country, which is good news for the sport and good news for our community,” Mr Williams said.