Left: Springvale Central councillor Youhorn Chea is supporting the Springvale Junior Football Club’s call for more members. The club which has four players is in danger of folding, and Cr Chea wants to encourage local children from the Asian community tBy Rebecca Fraser
THE fight to save the Springvale Junior Football Club (SJFC) continues, with the club enlisting the help of a City of Greater Dandenong councillor to drum up more players.
Springvale Central councillor Youhorn Chea said he wanted to help encourage players from the Asian community to take up the game in a new bid to save the ailing club.
As reported in Star last week, the 45yearold club is on the verge of closure as it only has four players.
Club members have vowed they would not go down without a fight and said they would like to fill the team with a mixture of players.
Cr Chea is due to meet with SJFC president Joe Farrugia in two weeks to discuss how the club can encourage more Asian children to pull on the Springvale jumper.
He said many wanted to play football, but some parents were reluctant to let their children join.
“Young kids from the Asian community want to play footy but many of their parents are scared they are going to have an accident or get injured,” Cr Chea said.
“Many have seen some of the injuries on television and get worried.”
Cr Chea said it was important the club attracted a broad cross section of players and that children of all cultural backgrounds became involved in local sport and football.
“It is important that we try to get through to the schools and talk to the kids and reassure their parents,” he said.
Cr Chea migrated to Australia 23 years ago and said his family soon realised how important Australian Rules football was to the country’s way of life.
“When we came here we saw just how important footy is to Australians – it is the national game,” he said.
“Sport and footy make people feel more healthy and teaches them new skills and helps them socialise and make new friends.
“It is wonderful for young people to be involved in local football clubs,” he said.
Mr Farrugia said club members met on Friday night to discuss the club’s future.
He said they had given themselves another month before they started to make a decision, and were now waiting to see if recent media coverage of the club’s plight would attract new players.
“We are still unsure about how to get across to the Asian community, so hopefully the meeting with Cr Chea will help generate some new ideas.
“We do not know any other steps we can take,” he said.
Mr Farrugia said he agreed with Cr Chea that the club needed to talk to the parents of potential footballers.
“The kids want to play, it is just a matter of tapping into the culture of the parents,” he said.
“We are not expecting them to come in their droves, but just help make up some teams.”
Anyone interested in joining the SJFC can contact Mr Farrugia on 9574 1940 or 0416 120 996.
