Junior footy alive and kicking

FOUR Dandenong junior football teams will play their first round in the rejuvenated Dandenong and District Junior Football League (DDJFL) this Sunday.
Dandenong clubs Parkmore, Noble Park, North Dandenong and the Dandenong Saints will compete against 18 other clubs from across the south-east.
DDJFL general manager Shaun Connell said this year the league had experienced its biggest influx of players since 2006.
“The success of the league is a result of the hard work from all the clubs as well as the success of the Auskick program.
Interest in the game has never been stronger,” Connell said.
“We have also secured Casey Fields for the grand finals and are expecting more growth next year after working closely with local councils to make sure the sport is being looked after properly.”
The league also boosted the number of umpires available by taking on the management and improving training for umpires during the off-season.
The competition will kick off with a youth girls game between Cranbourne and Noble Park at Casey Fields on Saturday morning. The under-9s to under-16s competition will commence on Sunday.