Ipswich has the largest number of players per head of population who have represented Australia in Football.
The Region has a rich football history and local clubs have a responsibility to continue the tradition of developing local players.
The likes of Neil Kilkenny; Gary Wilkins; Norm Rule; Brian Vogler; Jason Kearton, and my personal hero Col Kitching (who was also an Olympian) have all donned the Australian Football shirt to name but a few.
Female players such as Belinda Kitching; Bryony Duus and Michelle Sawyers have also represented Ipswich proudly as Matilda’s.
The Ipswich Region is one of the fastest growing regions and ootball is growing exponentially and the number of clubs is growing accordingly.
It is time that as a Region we unite behind a plan to ensure that Ipswich is represented at every level of the game in an effort to provide opportunities for players of all skill levels.
I see no reason why we as a Region cannot aspire to competing in the National Competition (The A-League).
It will take a united effort and one where the clubs put the Region first. TOGETHER, clubs can create a “Super Club” to represent Ipswich at the very highest level of the game.
Currently the highest ranked Ipswich football club is Western Pride who recently joined forces with Ipswich City Bulls to form Ipswich FC.
They compete in the third tier of football being Football Queensland Premier League (FQPL 1) behind the A-League, and The National Premier Leagues (NPL-QLD).
The name Ipswich FC would have certainly been appropriate when forming a “Super Club” that represented all of the Region, and perhaps the aim of the two clubs was indeed to be that “Super Club”.
In football unlike NRL, and AFL we have a promotion and relegation system which makes our game unique in that, performance on the pitch awards the top teams in a competition with promotion to a higher division and the bottom teams with relegation to a lower division.
A “Super Club” will require the very best facilities, physios, sponsors, administration, financial managers; players and a youth development program. This ensures talented players are identified by the very best coaches.
A “Super Club” in the Region will necessitate playing at NPL level with an aim for promotion into the National level.Ipswich Knights in FQPL 2; Western Spirit in FQPL 3; Ripley Valley in FQPL 4; along with a number of Community Clubs supporting junior and social football.
