The 7th V/Line Cup for Under 15 footballers commences on Monday in Melbourne being again conducted by the WorkSafe VCFL under the leadership of Shayne Ward, the WorkSafe VCFL’s Planning, Facilities and Junior Football Manager. Eighteen teams will participate in (4) Divisions over 3 days and the Carnival will bring together the best Under 15 footballers from across the WorkSafe VCFL.
The Carnival (formerly known as the Under 15 schoolboys) has been going almost sixty years with well over 20,000 young players being given the opportunity to represent their particular region of the VCFL. A high percentage of players that have made it to the AFL and previously the VFL, have come through the V/Line Cup along with most decorated country players and coaches also being first noticed at this level.
There will no doubt be a high level of excitement running through all the players coming to Melbourne for this week’s V/Line Cup as I’m sure will be the case for all umpires, coaches, support staff, parents and families – being school holidays presents a great opportunity for people to make the trip to town.
The 450 young footballers involved in the 2010 V/Line Cup have been selected from just under 7000 players in the eligible age bracket – congratulations to all players who have been selected along with those players who made the original squads for each team.
The V/Line Cup also provides the opportunity for some 40 young umpires from regional and rural areas to officiate at this prestigious Carnival with all umpires being selected from the V/Line Umpiring Academies around the WorkSafe VCFL.
In recent years some of the players that have come through the V/Line Cup have been:
· Joel Selwood (Bendigo Region – Geelong FC)
· Scott Selwood (Bendigo Region – West Coast FC)
· Ben McEvoy (Ovens & Murray Region – St Kilda FC)
· Steele Sidebottom (Goulburn Murray Region – Collingwood FC)
· Nic Suban (Ballarat Region – Fremantle FC)
· Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong Region – Adelaide FC)
· Shaun Higgins (Geelong Region – Western Bulldogs FC)
· Travis Boak (Geelong Regions – Port Adelaide FC)
and they join the other big names of the game in:
· Jonathan Brown
· Luke Hodge
· Dale Thomas
· Brendan Goddard;
plus hundreds more over the history of this great Carnival.
An added feature of this year’s V/Line Cup will be a Youth Girls Country Championship Match between Bendigo and Geelong being held in conjunction with the V/Line Cup on Tuesday at Central Reserve Waverly.
It is extremely important that we thank V/Line for their outstanding support of the Carnival and the opportunity it provides for players at a crucial stage of their long term development. We also thank V/Line for their terrific support and involvement in:
· The V/Line Junior Carnivals
· V/Line Life Training Program
· V/Line Umpire Academies
· V/Line Umpire Leadership Program.
Thanks to Rob Barnett (CEO) and all the team at V/Line for the great partnership we enjoy throughout regional and rural communities across the WorkSafe VCFL.
In closing, a big thank you to all the AFL Vic Development Managers and staff for their professionalism, passion and commitment to the V/Line Cup.
All the best to all teams over the coming week.
Enjoy your weekend.
Regards,
Glenn Scott
Chief Executive Officer
WorkSafe Victorian Country Football League
P.S. For full details on the 2010 V/Line Cup Carnival please go to www.vcfl.com.au
Last Modified on 06/07/2010 17:16