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February 2019 - Thunder Express
In This Issue
- This Weekend You’re All Invited
- Anthony Supports Community
- Highfields Sports Precinct
- Clothing, Clothing, Clothing!
- Season Launch
- Vanishing Visa’s
- Thunder Talk
- Disciplinary Actions
- Thunder & You
THIS WEEKEND YOU’RE ALL INVITED
This Weekend, SWQ Thunder FC are celebrating ‘International Womens Week’ with FREE ENTRY for Women at our Home Games held at Clive Berghofer Stadium on Saturday March 2nd – we will also have some surprise Giveaways, a lovely planted pot of succulents to Raffle, and a stall with some Goodies to purchase!
We will have half-time guest speakers for our Senior Womens and Mens games (3pm & 5pm) with the Bar open so please support this huge weekend of Football in Toowoomba – bring along your drums, your friends & support (loudly) our Teams.
Anthony Supports Community
Shout Out! Kudos and Well done to SWQ Thunder FC Coach Anthony Bigby who is volunteering his time to coach disadvantaged women at the YWCA.
Anthony will be coaching a group of 10-15 women, whose backgrounds include domestic violence survivors and migrants, every Tuesday in March. The program to support women in our community is run by the YWCA.
We are very proud of Anthony for supporting our local community and his efforts and generosity should be recognised by the Thunder Family. So if you see Anthony out and about be sure to congratulate him on a job well done!
International Women’s Week is celebrated from 2 - 10 March 2019.
Goodbye Anthony
We are also very saddened to be saying farewell to Anthony and his family in the near future. Anthony has decided to take a career opportunity in Mackay and will be leaving the Thunder Family after many years of service to the club.
During his time with SWQ Thunder FC, Anthony has always carried a big load in support of Thunder. He was instrumental in establishing the club in 2013 along with several of our current board members.
- 2013 - Inaugral Chairman & U14 Girls Coach
- 2014 - Chairman & U15 Girls Coach
- 2015 - Director Football Operations & Youth Women Coach
- 2016 - Senior Women Assistant Coach/Manager
- 2017 - Senior Women Assitant Coach/Manager
- 2018 - Senior Women Assitant Coach/Manager
- 2019 - Senior Women Co-Coach/Manager
The many hours Anthony has spent volunteering his time, knowledge, expertise and passion for the game cannot be counted.
SWQ Thunder FC extends our heartfelt thanks to Anthony, and his lovely family (Mariejan, Jacob, Danielle, Aiden, Ethan & Jordan) for all their hard work and commitment over the years. You will be greatly missed! (and always Welcomed Back warmly to the SWQ Thunder FC Family).
We wish you all the best in your new adventures xx
Highfields Sport & Recreation Park
Senior NPL coaching Staff and Board Members were fortunate to tour the Highfields Precinct on Saturday afternoon in preparation for moving NPL Senior Squad training sessions out there this week!
Although the facility does not officially open until March 9, it was fantastic to have a look around and be given access prior to the opening. It is a first rate facility and we look forward to hosting Junior NPL and NPLW games there later in the season.
Thanks to Ashley from Highfields FC for giving the guided tour, we look forward to sharing this facility with Highfields FC throughout the season.
The Official opening of Highfields Park is being held on Saturday 9th March, 7.30am to 11am – all families are welcome to attend for a look around the new sports centre.
As the saying goes – “The grass is not always greener…. “But in this case it definitely is – a very lush shade of green at the Highfields Sport Precinct.
Clothing, Clothing, Clothing!
As mentioned previously on facebook (and via email for those who aren’t on FB!), there has been a (dire, frustrating, unavoidable, irritating, OhMyGod!) situation arise with supplying the clothing.
It has taken some sorting out and unfortunately those who have not yet received clothing will have about a 2 – 3 week wait.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, we will endeavour to get the clothing distributed and into the hands of those waiting as soon as we can.
You will be notified by email and a message posted on facebook when collection time arrives.
Once again - thanks to all who are patiently waiting.
Season Launch
Our SWQ Thunder FC Season Launch went off without a hitch and we had a successful day both on and off the field!
We were delighted to have Deputy Mayor Carol Taylor, Mr Clive Berghofer our principal sponsor, and Mr Brendan Stibbard from the SWQ Zone, attend our Launch earlier in February – where we officially welcomed all new families and players to the SWQ Thunder FC Family.
Senior Jersey Présentations for our Senior Men & Women and a smashing Club photo (Thanks DSL Photography) along with three top notch games of Football culminated in an energetic, fun filled day.
Thanks Thunder Family for your participation! We can’t wait to see you all at our next Home Games ready to cheer on our Thunder teams!
Volunteers Needed!
Do you have a skill set that you would like to share, are you interested in social media, do you dabble in photography, have qualifications in physiotherapy, first aid nursing etc – or just generally would like to help out. WE NEED YOU!!
The tremendous task of running this club falls on the shoulders of a dedicated crew of volunteers made up of managers and Board Members and one super talented but definitely over worked photographer. There is simply too much to do for those currently carrying the load and we are looking for help……
- Media team
- Newsletter
- Sponsorship
- Formation of Junior sub committee
Or if these opportunities to volunteer don’t appeal to you and you have other ideas about how you can help or would like some more information we would love to hear from you.
The first part of our season see’s most junior games played out of Berghofer Stadium ( thanks to all who already help out on the gate). While the stadium is a first class facility it comes with its own set of responsibilities, add to those our licencing requirements for ground officials and first aid officers and a day at the stadium adds up to a lot of work.
We desperately need a person or small group of people who would be willing to coordinate those days and making sure everything is in place. Team managers assist with finding ground officials and first aid volunteers from within their teams, and managers of U13 teams are currently coordinating game day set up. Ideally a “go to” or “person in charge” on the day is needed to make sure all goes smoothly.
For more information on how you can help out please email swqthunderfc@gmail.com or message the facebook page.
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Disciplinary Actions
On Field and Off Field
Already this season we have received notice of a number of Red and Yellow Cards issued as official disciplinary action to players and officials.
We have mentioned before that the Club is fined for these breaches of behavioural code and I’m frustrated at seeing very hard-sought funds leave the Club in such a way. Therefore I encourage you all to revisit your own individual reactions including retaliations, bad language and attitude.
We’re not asking for a change of intensity or passion – but rather we’re asking you to embrace sportsmanship and control yourself in situations that escalate in situations that are recognized in the Football Queensland Disciplinary Regulations.
Thunder Talk
News, achievements and just a little bit of gossip from around the grounds!
- We hope that lots of our Thunder Family have been taking advantage of the great deals offered by our Thunder Sponsor, The Fit Lab! If you want more information see below......
- Congratulations to Luke Lister & Fletcher MacDonald who made their Senior Men’s NPL Season Début in the opening round on 2nd February in the 1-1 draw verse Brisbane Strikers. Both players have been with Thunder since juniors playing from U12 Boys NPL right through to the Senior Men’s Squad. #playerdevelopment #thunderfamily #boys2men
- Adios Danny - Longtime Thunder Nemesis (well known to Thunder Talk Readers & the Thunder FC Can Bar Crew) and Now-Ex-Olympic FC player, known only as Danny (or Dany pronounced in an Irish accent), will sadly not be playing in the 2019 NPL Season. After many years of being highlighted in the Thunder Talk section, for various crimes such as daring to argue with the Thunder Can Bar Crew and refusing to shake hands with our Thunder Men’s players, we will no longer have the dubious pleasure of seeing Danny on the field! Or featured in our Thunder Talk section.
- Welcome to our new Senior Men’s Player Shoto Aizawa! Thunder looks forward to seeing you on the pitch!
- Scroll Down to our Thunder & You section to see more about our Supporter Merchandise. Scarves Available Now!
Thunder & You
The Spotted Cow
Did You Know: The Spotted Cow has special Thunder Meal Deals for families on all Home Game weekends ....... So this weekend head down to The Spotted Cow and when ordering your meal let them know that you are part of the SWQ Thunder Family to receive your discount.
Thunder Supporter Merchandise
Supporter Scarves
As promised we now have our SWQ Thunder FC SUPPORTERS SCARVES available for purchase! Head on over to the Online Majestri Shop to order your very own Thunder scarf!
Helpful links and websites
Credits:
DSL Photography