TFL SETS A DATE
Football clubs look forward to 2020 season restart
FOOTBALL: The restart of the season is locked in and the Toowoomba Football League’s clubs are excited.
Play will resume at all three levels of the game – Mini Roos, juniors and seniors – from July 17.
“It’s exciting, we’re all looking forward to being able to play again,” USQ FC 12-17 years technical director Tim Gaske said.
“There’s going to be some real challenges for clubs between now and then to make sure everything meets the guidelines, but we have a start date which is good.
“We’ve decided that we will not start training until a little closer to the season start just to make things a little easier to handle.
“Meeting all the safety and health guidelines is going to be a lot of work for our volunteers so our plan is to start training around a week before when the restrictions are eased a little more.”
The approval of Football Queensland’s COVID SAFE plan last week means clubs can now conduct non-contact training sessions, however Gaske believes USQ’s delay will not hamper its players in any way.
“I think sport of any de
scription is important for kids,” Gaske said.
“As well as the physical benefits, it’s something they can enjoy and they get that mateship as well.
“I know all our players are raring to go and the coaches as well.
“I doubt they (the junior players) will have lost any of their energy or passion.
“And it won’t take them long to get back into the swing of things.
“A week or so of training and they’ll be ready for games.”
Football Queensland South
West vice president Snow Green said the TFL’s clubs, players and volunteers deserve praise during these testing times.
“My hat goes off to all the clubs and their members,” Green said.
“It would’ve been easy for them to just say ‘no’ during all this.
“But they’ve all been very keen to make sure the season goes ahead.
“A lot of work has fallen to our volunteers and that will continue through the season.
“They deserve to be praised for their attitude and all the hard work they’re doing.”