As the curtains are drawn on 2024, I’d like to extend a thank you to the many people around our club who make it what it is. Our coaches, backroom staff and volunteers work tirelessly every season to provide the best opportunities for our players to succeed – and their work does not go unnoticed.
The 2024 Season has been one of unprecedented success at the club. For the first time ever, our FQPL Men, FQPL Women and FQPL U23s all secured the league title in the same season. I’d like to specially mention Riki Fulton and his ladies team on an outstanding year, sealing the first ever piece of silverware for our women in the FQPL Wide Bay competition. Our women’s program has been a work-in-progress for many years, and I’d also like to dedicate this years success to the pioneers who have set the foundations of our Women’s Program over the past decade. It would be a long list if I named them all, but they know who they are.
Our FQPL Men and U23s also enjoyed undefeated league seasons and Grand Final wins which is an extremely rare feat and one to be applauded. Brilliant job to all involved.
Our Junior and MiniRoos programs continue to thrive, and that is a true credit to the volunteer coaches and managers across all age groups who dedicate their own time to give back to the club. It is always particularly great to see senior players stepping up to coach junior teams, which we saw plenty of this season. Our Junior Development program continued, led by Fiona Stevenson, and we continue to see many former JDP players make their mark in our senior teams and in higher levels of competition including the National Premier League.
It was also great to see our FQPL U13s and U9s travel down south after the conclusion of the season to play in the Pacific Championships / Premier Invitational – both sides did the club proud and stacked up well against their counterparts from around the country. Similarly, our FQPL Men got the opportunity to travel to Brisbane in September to play in the FQPL Champions League Final, and despite bowing out of the competition to a classy Edge Hill outfit, the boys made us all proud. Over the past three years, we’ve been a mainstay in the Champions League competition, being the only club to appear in the Regional Final in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and solidifying our status as one of Regional Queensland’s best football clubs.
The year concluded with a notably well-attended Annual General Meeting. It is fantastic to see so many players, supporters and members invested in the future of the club.
We are, as always, extremely grateful for the support of our many sponsors. I encourage our members to continue to shop with / engage the services of our sponsors wherever possible. It’s worth noting that over the past year, our sponsorship income has approximately doubled compared to the previous year. The club’s financial position is as strong as ever, and I would like to thank the whole committee for their hard work in achieving this.
Thanks to this, we look forward to more projects around the club in the new year, including the continued renovation of our first team change room and the addition of a new electronic scoreboard.
All of these achievements from different departments of the club culminated in the club being awarded the Football Queensland Wide Bay Club of the Year award, which is an incredible achievement that we can celebrate together as a whole club.
The foundations are being set for a strong 2025 season, with registrations set to open in early January. We look forward to seeing everyone in the new year.
Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season,
Tim Roebuck
President – Across the Waves FC