Helensvale boys team on the up
DESPITE failing to make the finals last year, Helensvale State High school football director Lachlan McDonnell believes the gap between his side and the Brisbane School Premier League’s best has “narrowed significantly”.
Helensvale has always had a strong female football side, which qualified for the SPL grand final last year, but the injection of Gold Coast football’s Keith Garland as a specialist coach and the addition of some high-calibre talent are set to bring the boys into contention.
“The big gap that used to be there has narrowed significantly,” McDonnell said.
“The boys have been showing marked improvement and are now holding their own against some of the more established sides.
“Our junior program also continues to strengthen and we’re attracting some highercalibre kids. The culture within the program continues to strengthen.”
Most of Helensvale’s players are involved with National Premier League clubs Logan Lightning and Gold Coast United, where McDonnell acts as the under-11 SAP coach alongside Palm Beach Currumbin counterpart Shane Robinson.
But as one of the Northern Gold Coast’s strongest school football academies, Helensvale is attracting some of the Gold Coast’s brightest talents.
“I think we’ll field some very strong teams in the competition,” McDonnell said.
Helensvale takes on Cleveland District State High School and Cavendish Road State High School in its opening SPL matches. The semifinals are on August 14.