President's report 2000

In the 2000 season, Awakeri fielded 10 teams in the EBOP leagues, in the following grades: 6th (2), 7th (2), 8th (2), 9th, 11th (2) and 13th. Altogether 110 players wore the Awakeri colours, which was excellent. The club is grateful to its sponsors: David da Silva Autos, Adamson’s Amcal Pharmacy, Gould Contracting, Total Power Services, Awakeri Store, Peter Clarke Ltd and Draintech Diggers.

The 2000 season was the last season with the EBOPJFA in full control of its leagues. As of the coming season, Federation Three (Force 3) are the controlling body of soccer in the Waikato / BOP region. They have delegated responsibility for running local leagues to the EBOPJFA, but have put quite a bit of pressure on us to alter our methods. The resolve of the EBOPJFA at its last meeting was to retain the junior soccer fixtures as for last season, i.e. home and away, team sizes, a fixture list for the season.

In the 2000 season there were many highlights for the Awakeri Soccer Club. These include:

May 27 when four players scored hat-tricks for their respective Awakeri teams (Riki Roia, Carrington Brown, Ben McPherson and Devon Swart)

The continued growth of family 7-aside soccer during the summer

Both 11th grade teams making the top divisions of their grades (again)

Carrington Brown reading his way through half a game in the car, before realising and coming on the score twice in the second half!

A fantastic morning with Wynton Rufer and some of the Kingz in Whakatane

I would like to thank the teams’ coaches: David and Gail Hudson, Rod Kamphorst & Stuart Munro (6th Grade); Neil & Heather Mower, Helen Ernest, Peter Sonntag & Evelyn Skipps (7th); Peter Sheather, Tom Lowndes & Alan Barr (8th); Graeme Reeves & Colin Wilson (9th); Chris Stanton & Stu Goodhew (11th); and myself ! (13th). Our club has been very lucky with the quality of coaches it can offer to the players.

This year our club had six EBOP reps: Jamie Stanton & Rebecca Geddes (13th grade girls), Jeremy Hawkes (12th), Lance Robison & Ian Sisam (11th) Congratulations to these players.

A low point of the year was the recent death of Dave Boon, who did an excellent job over many years coaching EBOP rep teams.

The sportsmanship trophies for the season went to: Hannah Hudson, Liam Richards, Brent Gurran, Robert Sonntag, Ben Hancox, Paul Haslam, Nicholas Knight, Ian Sisam, Ben McPherson & Simon Turner.

In the near future the availability of the Awakeri Events Centre will be a boost for the club. It is very likely the Plains Rangers AFC will have their senior team based here from this season, so this should give our juniors something to aspire to.

We would like to thank the Awakeri School BOT and principal Peter Fitzgerald for their support. I would also like to thank Helen Ernest for her willing work as secretary/treasurer and Cathy Fitzgerald for her support as vice-president.

Barrie Hawkes 12 Feb 2001

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