Tiffany Denysenko was one local girl eager to join the newly formed Cardinia United soccer team.
By Melissa Grant
PAKENHAM girls are signing up in droves to bend it like Beckham.
More than 20 female soccer fans have signed up for the newly formed Cardinia United team, based at Toomuc Reserve.
Cardinia United Junior Soccer Club vice-president Gavin Boloski said the number of boys and girls who had already joined up showed how popular the sport was in the district.
“There are 105 (players) registered and paid up,” he said.
“It just shows how much soccer is needed in Pakenham.
“They’re saying there’s going to be 50,000 people living here in the next few years.
“There’s got to be a soccer club to cater for those, especially ethnic groups, coming to Pakenham.”
Children aged five years and up have been flocking to the Toomuc Reserve each Tuesday night to prepare for next year’s soccer season.
Mr Boloski said the club was looking to play against teams from Berwick, Narre Warren and Endeavour Hills from March.
He said there was a strong possibility that a girls-only Cardinia Cougars team would take to the field each week, as well as the boys and mixed teams.
Mr Boloski said kids had been coming from all over the district to take part in the training sessions.
“There’s been kids from Gembrook and Nar Nar Goon. There’s a good mix of kids from the Cardinia Shire,” he said.
The Cardinia Shire Council recently purchased soccer nets for the junior club and land in Henry Road, Pakenham, to establish a permanent facility.
Cardinia Shire mayor Kate Lempriere said the recent installation of the goal nets was the first step to competitive soccer in the shire.
“The facility will provide a base for training and social competition for junior soccer,” she said.
Mr Boloski said he had been trying to set up a club in Pakenham for the past five years and hoped the club would gain momentum with the soccer season fast approaching.
The Cardinia United Junior Soccer Club will hold friendly games in the coming weeks in preparation for next year.
To register, or for more information about the Cardinia United Junior Soccer Club, phone Sandra on 0422 887 020.
