THE Geelong region’s youngest soccer club Armstrong United FC will be moving to a new permanent home in the Warralily estate early next year.
The new facility in Central Boulevard, which is under construction and expected to be completed by April next year, will include two AFL shaped ovals able to accommodate two full-sized football pitches (one of which will be floodlit) as well as changerooms.
Armstrong United FC is expected to be allocated one of the two grounds, with the other one to be used by AFL Auskick and other community groups.
The proposed move to the bigger venue is likely to fast track the Pelicans’ growth as a club in terms of participant numbers.
In its inaugural season this year, playing at Sovereign Drive Park in the Armstrong Mount Duneed estate, Armstrong United had 73 registered players across men’s, women’s and MiniRoos teams. Of these, 29 were women.
This number is expected to swell to well over 100 players and possibly twice as many in the 2019 season with the biggest growth expected within the MiniRoos’ ranks.
“The one thing that could put a brake on the rapid growth of the club, however, may be an insufficient number of coaches at the club, particularly with our MiniRoos’ teams,” club president Michael Parker said.
The Pelicans are on the lookout for coaches for both its senior men’s and women’s teams, with interest already reportedly being shown for the Women’s team position.
“This will be an exciting opportunity for coaches who are looking to develop a team, as we look to rise the ranks of local football in the coming years,” Mr Parker said.
“We are looking for the right people to come and build on our foundations from our first year as a club, further developing our exciting list of players as well as adding players that embrace our community-based culture.”