South Melbourne FC will participate in the two day AFS 2014 Gala Tournament in Shepparton this weekend. A total of sixty two teams from thirty seven clubs and academies are participating in a showcase of junior football talent. This includes clubs from New South Wales, South Australia and New Zealand. South Melbourne is the largest supporter of the tournament sending six youth teams to participate.
Australia Football Skools is a football development program run in Victoria from March to October each year and includes an interzone competition. Their focus event is the Gala Tournament and 2014 is the eighth edition of this annual competition. Australia Football Skools is a strong supporter of regional football and again this year the tournament returns to Shepparton.
The tournament is expected to bring together over two thousand players, parents and friends to the regional centre and is a vote of confidence not just in Shepparton but the strength of the region.
South Melbourne will be fielding teams across six age groups from Under 11s through to Under 16s. Each team will play three matches on the Saturday and at least one finals match on the Sunday morning. The tournament will provide an opportunity to play against teams South Melbourne may otherwise never share the field with and additionally this will be the first opportunity for our 2015 squads to come together in a competitive environment during their spring training program.
South Melbourne Under 11s
The Under 11s will be participating in the Under 12 age group of the tournament and have been drawn in Group A. Their matches are as follows:
· Saturday 9:00am against Heidelberg United
· Saturday 1:00pm against Goulburn Valley Suns
· Saturday 5:00pm against Adelaide Comets
South Melbourne Under 12s
The Under 12s will be participating in the Under 12 age group of the tournament and have been drawn in Group C. Their matches are as follows:
· Saturday 9:00am against Springvale White Eagles
· Saturday 1:00pm against Beaumaris Wolves
· Saturday 3:00pm against Clifton Hill
South Melbourne Under 13s
The Under 13s will be participating in the Under 14 age group of the tournament and have been drawn in Group B. Their matches are as follows:
· Saturday 10:00am against Dandenong Thunder
· Saturday 2:00pm against Murray United
· Saturday 6:00pm against Gippsland SL
South Melbourne Under 14s
The Under 14s will be participating in the Under 14 age group of the tournament and have been drawn in Group C. Their matches are as follows:
· Saturday 10:00am against Goulburn Valley Suns
· Saturday 2:00pm against Shepparton United (Under 16 Girls)
· Saturday 6:00pm against Dandenong City
South Melbourne Under 15s
The Under 15s will be participating in the Under 16 age group of the tournament and have been drawn in Group A. Their matches are as follows:
· Saturday 11:00am against Ricki Herbert Football Academy (New Zealand)
· Saturday 3:00pm against Springvale White Eagles
· Saturday 6:00pm against Dandenong Thunder
South Melbourne Under 16s
The Under 16s will be participating in the Under 16 age group of the tournament and have been drawn in Group B. Their matches are as follows:
· Saturday 11:00am against Malvern City
· Saturday 3:00pm against Goulburn Valley Suns
· Saturday 6:00pm against LPNK Soccer Academy
Note: These fixtures were correct at the time of publishing however South Melbourne players, parents and friends who may be attending should remain in contact with the club coaching team for up to date information on matches.