Soccer club fights for home matches

Trafalgar Victory Soccer Club faces the stark reality of being stripped of home matches in the Latrobe Valley Soccer League this season due to inadequate facilities.

And the club fears that may extend into the 2020 season with state government funding options for the 2019-20 financial year already closed.

The LVSL board is currently reviewing the viability of Trafalgar hosting home games after receiving several letters of concern from its member clubs voicing their continued frustration with the lack of appropriate change rooms and shower facilities, which are required in LVSL and Football Victoria’s facilities regulations.

While Trafalgar Football Netball Club has offered use of its change room facilities when their Mid Gippsland Football League fixture permits, Trafalgar Victory Soccer Club vice-president Mark Judd said the action taken by the LVSL put the club in a perilous position as it approached the commencement of the season in just a few weeks.

Mr Judd said while a $90,000 budget submission to Baw Baw Shire Council for match lighting had been granted, a second request for $120,000 to hire a temporary portable change room and shower block in the interim had not, which left the club in a vulnerable situation.

A third budget submission from the club asks for a $200,000 contribution towards construction of a multi-purpose changeroom and shower facility.

As it currently stands, the TRP master plan review is expected to be completed in June. The club hopes a multipurpose change room design will be completed, catering for Trafalgar Victory FC, Gippsland FC, Trafalgar Cricket Club, Trafalgar Junior Football Club and Trafalgar Boxing Club.

But the review will be completed after the state government deadline for sport and recreation grants thereby pushing the potential construction of facility back a further 12 months.

Mr Judd said it was an unacceptable position for the tenants, particularly soccer and the boxing club.

“It is simply not satisfactory to build a soccer ground without the provision of a change room and shower facility.

He said 300 players across the two clubs would use the grounds, seven days a week for the next eight months.

Baw Baw Shire deputy mayor Danny Goss said concept designs to be completed by June would put council in the best possible position to have a shovel ready project and secure state and federal government funding.

He said Sport Recreation Victoria funding for 2019-20 had already closed.

“Funding for 20/21 is currently with the state government for confirmation with SRV before submissions open,” Mr Goss said.

“We will actively seek this round of funding utilising the detailed designs to strengthen our application.

“We understand the club’s concerns and agree that the facilities don’t meet community needs, hence why the money was allocated last year for the detailed designs.

“We’re looking at the big picture and taking a whole precinct approach.

“We need to consider the needs of numerous clubs as well as future growth, and planning needs to cover more than just soccer.”