To committee members, players and supporters;
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all our members here today for this AGM. I would also like to thank our sponsors who contribute not just financially to the club, but to the heart and soul of our organisation. Your contributions allow us to provide the best opportunities for our players. Personally, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone for giving me the opportunity to be in this role this year. It has been an amazing and challenging journey of discovery and I have learnt that role of president is complimented by the hard work and dedication of our members. On that note I would like to thank all our members, and especially those in the committee for your hard work this year.
It’s been a tough few years for our sports with a decrease in player numbers and a lack of funding. Our 2014/15 Summer Season consisted of two teams, the Patriots and the Panthers and had thirteen players attend more than 50% of all rounds during the season. Our 2015 Powerchair Football season was limited to training with only five players attending the majority of the season. We worked hard this year to advertise our sports and hopefully we can improve our numbers in the not too distant future.
We had some good wins this year. Congratulations to the Panthers who won the Balloon Soccer and Rugby Championships, this was a fantastic effort. The Patriots were victorious in the Hockey winning the most games in the season. We once again decided to have the Pride Cup Round as a separate best of three competition with mixed teams. The Scorpions defeated the Dragons in Rugby and Hockey to take the series 2-1. Congratulations to both teams for putting on a fantastic event!
Our newest sport, Powerchair Football continues its growth around other parts of Australia and the world. One of our main goals for 2015 was to increase player numbers and recognition to the sport in Victoria. We have done a lot of work including modifying wheelchairs and guards, forming a partnership with Melbourne City Football Club who generously donated team shirts for our state team to wear at Nationals, and working with the Australian Powerchair Football Association to analyse and plan towards the future of the game around the country.
We had two state representative teams this year, one for N.E.W.S and the other for Powerchair Football. A team of five travelled to Sydney for the Powerchair Football National event where they finished 6th against more experienced and equipped opposition. The players were incredibly honoured and proud to wear the Melbourne City shirts during the competition and I’m very excited to see what the future will bring us with the partnership. At the N.E.W.S event the Victorian Pride Warriors came runners up in Hockey and Balloon Soccer. It was a nail-biting game in Hockey which went into extra-time against New South Wales while in Balloon Soccer Queensland were just too strong.
Our ultimate goal for the future is to increase sporting opportunities for our players and to have a state-wide competition filled with players from all around Victoria. However, we are only a volunteer based organisation with many of our committee members busy with other commitments. We are also smaller than we used to be and need to incorporate new ideas and strategies for raising funds. Without appropriate forward planning the club will be in financial difficulties within the next five years.
For all committee members, general members, colleagues and friends, we need your support to make the changes needed to ensure the strong and ongoing survival of our great organisation. We need new players, and new goals to help us make this the best sporting organisation it can be.
The future of VEWSA needs to be guided by you, the members. VEWSA exists to support the players and the members. Therefore, I’m very interested in your ideas and thoughts. Feel free to let me or our wonderful VEWSA committee know what we’re doing well, what could be improved or perhaps what needs to be developed?
Feel free to contact me at luke.david@vewsa.org.au or on 0424 160 174
Regards,
Luke David
President
