Footy clubs lack under-18 bounce

By Paul Dunlop
A PLAYER shortage is putting football clubs under pressure just weeks before the first bounce of the new season.
Many clubs are having trouble fielding under-18 sides as teenagers opt to play elsewhere or take a break from the game.
Pakenham and Rythdale-Officer-Cardinia (ROC) are two proud and successful local clubs struggling for numbers in the under-18s.
Pakenham club president Graham Burridge is not giving up hope that enough under-18 players to form a team can be found before the first bounce of the new season.
“We’ll keep our options open as long as possible but if there are young blokes reading this who would like a game of footy at Pakenham this season we would love to hear from them,” he said.
“We haven’t given up hope, that’s for sure.”
Pakenham will meet with Casey-Cardinia league officials this week to discuss the player shortage, which is a problem at a number of other clubs.
Rythdale-Officer-Cardinia president Frank Wyatt said ROC had also been struggling to put an under-18 side together, although coach Brad Snooks said last week that he was confident the situation had changed.
“Up until today we were struggling but I’ve just spoken to half a dozen extra players and I think we will be okay now,” he said on Friday.
Mr Wyatt said many young players were choosing other alternatives to football, particularly in the Casey-Cardinia league, which is regarded as one of the premier country competitions.
“There’s a whole host of reasons why but you’d think with the population in the area we’d be okay,” he said.
“It’s certainly a worrying trend.”