Eureka FC wins Australian soccer Team of the Year
EUREKA Football Club's senior men's team has been named non-professional senior Team of the Year 2012 by the Football Federation of Australia.
The team includes players from Eureka, Rosebank, Clunes, Dunoon and Goonellabah and won this year's Football (soccer) Far North Coast Sixth Division title.
Winners of the 2012 Australian Football Awards
The 18 Eureka FC players received their award at the Australian football's biggest awards night in Sydney last night.
"Besides the sports credentials, we are a good example of a small regional soccer club: we only have one senior team, but we are coaches of junior teams, we mow the fields, we mark the lines, we cook the BBQ for our canteen fundraisers and our families help too," Eureka FC President James Mayson said before departing for Sydney.
"We don't have our own change rooms or toilets. We use the school toilets next door. For the men's team we train at night and we only have one lamp post 20 metres away from the field. It's like we dance with the shadows sometimes," Mr Mayson said.
Mid-fielder Kevin Kehoe, of Clunes, was very excited to be able to meet Newcastle FC's Emile Heskey and former Lismore player and Socceroo, SBS football commentator Craig Foster.
Wives and girlfriends of the players were commenting this morning on social media that they have been up all night making confetti for the ticker tape parade.
2012 Australian Football Award winners
Professional awards
Footballer of the Year (female): Sally Shipard, Canberra United FC
U20 Footballer of the Year (male): Mathew Ryan, Central Coast Mariners
U20 Footballer of the Year (female): Stephanie Catley, Melbourne Victory FC
Non-professional awards
Coach of the Year (female): Fiona Stevenson (QLD)
Coach of the Year (male): Darren Cook (TAS)
Referee of the Year: Brenton Hayward (VIC)
Volunteer of the Year: John Wainwright (NNSW)
Team of the Year (Junior): U16 Women's Team - Avalon Soccer NSW (NSW)
Team of the Year (Senior): Senior Men's Team - Eureka Football Club (NNSW)
Pararoos Footballer of the Year: Chris Pyne (NSW)
