Team calls on the faithful

By Gavin Staindl
A LOCAL football club is in peril of losing its under-18 team after exhausting all avenues to recruit extra players.
The St John’s Old Collegians’ under-18 side currently has 14 members, a far cry from the 24 that takes the field on a Saturday and its president says if it can’t get the numbers by round one in one month, the side will fold.
President John Fitzpatrick has done everything to try and recruit players, from talking to nearby schools and clubs to handing out flyers in local shopping centres but still he remains luckless.
St John’s Old Collegians, affiliated with the Victorian Amateur Football Association, have had a strong under-18 side after making the finals last year, but a string of departures has left the team in strife.
“Some players have left for university, others play basketball or rugby and some are just frightened that if they get injured they wouldn’t be able to do other things,” Fitzpatrick said. “It would be extremely disappointing if we can’t field a side … but we haven’t sold the year down the river yet.”
If you are interested in joining the under-18s for the season commencing 10 April, call John Fitzpatrick on 0418 350 788.