Eugene instructs instructors

A big thanks to Eugene Lawrenz, the Community Referee Development Coordinator at the Football Federation of Victoria, for coming out to Eltham not once but twice to host an Assistant Referee Course as well as an Instructing Referee course for not only our members but also for interested parties from other local clubs.

Both courses we well attended and the course was very well received by attendees. I’m sure we have a good group size of people that are much more confident to run a line or referee if required. Every little bit of knowledge about both of these tasks helps!

The Reds team (pictured here), managed by Bob Messenger proudly celebrate winning the inaugural Vets league in 2011.

The number of men playing vets soccer has grown from half a dozen in 2004 to over 50 now in our area. We have players from 40 through to 65 so don’t hang up your boots yet!

Our club and league we play in gives all players of all ability and fitness the chance to continue playing the game they love in a safe and enjoyable league environment. This is because unruly or offensive behaviour is not tolerated by any club or referee and if anyone should break this code they would be thrown out of the club and the league instantly.

Eltham has its home fixtures on Saturday afternoon at 3pm (on grass or an artificial 93G pitch) depending on your preferred surface, and a home game at 5pm on a Sunday afternoon.
There is also a training night each week (time and day yet to be announced by the club)
If you cannot commit long term to playing all season we also offer casual or part time options as well.

Eltham is also proud to align itself with the Melbourne City Mission and plays fund raising games for the Eltham Aged Care Centre, and is always pleased to invite them down to watch a game, an exciting match and hot cup of tea gives them a great afternoon of entertainment!

In short joining the club is as much about boosting your social life as it is kicking a ball and many great friendships have been made at the club and needless to say many social functions happen between players so you really will get to make new friends quickly and so will your wives and partners as well!

To enquire about playing Veterans football at Eltham Redbacks please email Bob Messenger at veterans@elthamredbacksfc.org.au

We look forward to hearing from you!

Championship Winning Team 2011
Back Row L-R Darren Kaye, Nigel Dalton, Paul Rizio, Graham Attwood, Nick Redpath, Marco Celebi, Ian Crockett,
Front Row L-R Ray Crompton, Brendan Quinn, Steve Harrison, Bob Messenger, Brian Stockley, Tony Siolis

Our U15 boys have made the quarter finals of the Victoria stage.  Winning 3 of their 4 games the team finished top of their group.  Acting team captain Ben Wiley has prepared the following report.

“We are excited to be through to the quarter finals.  While concentrating on each game as it comes we are hoping to progress beyond the next round.  We have an established team but our new team mates have made a valuable contribution to our success.  Thanks to Chris for getting us off to a very positive start to the season.

We starting off well winning 3:0 against a strong Bundoora side.  We then pulled off a major upset beating South Melbourne 2:1.  We then had a 3:0 loss to Peninsula Strikers but regrouped to boost our goal difference with a 5:0 win over Monash City.

On behalf of the team I would like to thank the many club members who have supported us during our group stage.”

Well done boys!  Every Redback past & present will be wishing you success.

Boys  U8/U9 – Last grading trials this Saturday at 9am.  From March 3rd Training moves to Sunday 9am to 10.15am

Boys U10 – Saturday 10.30am to 11.30am

Boys U11 – Saturday 11.30am to 12.30pm

Boys U12 – Saturday 2.15pm to 3.30pm (yes – it is correct)

Boys U13 – Saturday 1pm to 2.15pm

Boys U14 – Saturday 3.30pm to 4.45pm

Girls U8/U9/U10/U11/U12/U14 – Sunday 10.15am to 11.30am

Further Updates will be posted on the website – keep an eye on posts relating to training.

Spiderlings Info Sheet

Saturday SSG (small sided games) info sheet

Sunday SSF (small sided football) info sheet

Juniors info sheet

If you have further questions please check our contacts section (under the “About” heading) to send an email.

So what do you do now?  The list below will help

Spiderlings

Christine Taylor (the program coordinator) will contact you via email close to the time when our sessions start (1st session April 21st) – Note that there is a special website section (Saturday SSG ’12 heading) with constantly updated information about the Spiderlings & Saturday SSG (U5 to U7).

Saturday Small Sided Games  (U5 to U7)

Malcolm Wiley (the program coordinator) will contact you via email close to the time when our sessions start (1st session April 21st) – Note that there is a special website section (Saturday SSG ’12 heading ) with constantly updated information about the Spiderlings & Saturday SSG (U5 to U7).  There are no grading trials for this age group.

Sunday Small Sided Football (U8/U9 teams – mixed age group)

Your first committment is grading trials.  Note that grading is to determine if you are placed in one of our high ability teams – all players who register and pay while places remain will play!  Grading is NOT required if you are U8 – unless you think you might be good enough to make a high ability team.  The grading time table is on this website (a few posts earlier).  After grading, teams will be selected and you will be contacted via email with information about pre-season training.  From April 1st training is as per the website schedule.

Sunday Small Sided Football (U10 & U11)

Your first committment is grading trials.  Note that grading is to determine if you are placed in one of our high ability teams – all players who register and pay while places remain will play!  The grading time table is on this website (a few posts earlier).  After grading, teams will be selected and you will be contacted via email with information about pre-season training.  From April 1st training is as per the website schedule.

Sunday Junior Football (Boys U12 to U18 and Girls U12 to U18)

Your first commitment is grading trials.  Note that grading is to determine if you are placed in one of our high ability teams (where two teams exist in any age group) – all players who register and pay while places remain will play!  The grading time table is on this website (a few posts earlier).  After grading, teams will be selected and you will be contacted via email with information about pre-season training.  From April 1st training is as per the website schedule.

Senior Women & Men

Please contact (if you haven’t already)  admin@elthamredbacksfc.org.au

Veterans and Masters (over 35′s and over 45′s)

Please contact (if you haven’t already)  admin@elthamredbacksfc.org.au

Incidentally, for those of you who may not know, Vaughan is currently the Head Zone Coach of the North East Diamonds competing in the Victorian Champions League (it is one of FFV’s development program for Talented Players in the junior ranks). In addition, Vaughan is also one of the assistant coaches with the Melbourne Victory Youth Team. So you are in good hands and you all are getting a head start in training by participating in TECHfootball+ program which will prepare you well for the upcoming winter season.

IMPORTANT: Please read the change in TECHfootball+ program training times for February below.

We wish you all the best with the TECHfootball+ program and the upcoming season.

Yours sincerely

ERFC Committee

IMPORTANT: Please read below about changes in TECHfootball+ training times for February

Grading sessions have begun for all Eltham Redbacks FC junior teams and are to take place during February. We have hundreds of junior players that are required to be assessed and as such the training times for TECHfootball+ in February had to change. We apologise for this disruption and inconvenience.

February 11th:
7 to 11 yrs age – commence 8.30 am and finish 9.30 am
12 to 16 yrs age – commence 9.30 am and finish 10.30am (finish 10 mins early as ERFC grading starts at 10.30am)

February 18th & 25th (an earlier start, like the professionals):
7 to 11 yrs age – commence 8.00 am and finish 9.00 am
12 to 16 yrs age – commence 8.00 am and finish 9.00 am

TECHfootball+ sessions from March onwards will resume at its regular timeslots:
7 to 11 yrs age – commence 8.30 am and finish 9.30 am
12 to 16 yrs age – commence 9.35 am and finish 10.45am (back to 70 mins session for this group)

Reminder about car parking: Please park at the upper car park only and do not drive down and park around the club rooms. The cricket club has allowed us to access the pitch during the summer season and we would like to continue that partnership by respecting that. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Bob was previously the Head Coach of the Football Federation Victoria’s Emerging Athlete Program and Assistant Coach of the Melbourne Victory Women’s team.

Bob has had a successful playing and coaching career in Australia that spans more than 35 years including playing for Sydney City and South Melbourne in the National Soccer League. Bob has had a successful coaching career including being a Victorian State coach at the Australian National Junior Championships and being voted as the 2007 Women’s Premier League Coach of the Year.
The President and the Committee welcomes Bob back to the club where Bob has previously coached the club’s Women’s Premier League team and various junior girls’ teams.  The club wishes him well for Season 2012 and are looking forward to a bright future for the club’s women’s program under Bob’s leadership and mentoring.

After promotion from last season Eltham Redbacks FC is a club on the move and would be a great environment for a player that wants to succeed and make their mark on a team that is going places. Please forward any enquiries to info@elthamredbacksfc.org.au