Muddy grounds have clubs searching for alternative venues

Drainage issues at Dixon Field and Sankey Reserve are creating issues for Gisborne soccer and football clubs to train and play.

Gisborne Soccer Club

Gisborne Soccer Club says it faces significant challenges about its main pitch, noting a senior soccer match at Dixon Field in July was delayed due to referee concerns over the playing surface and player safety.

Club president and former Socceroo, Carl Valeri, said the field had become prone to waterlogging and excessive mud accumulation, even with minimal rainfall, raising concerns about player safety and the club’s future.

He noted that the pitch’s condition had been deteriorating over the past five years and had now reached its worst state.

“Playing on such an unsafe surface poses serious risks and potential injuries,” he said.

With a growing number of members and a thriving community, the club is worried about its capacity to accommodate new players. Carl said the current season witnessed the presence of four under-8 teams, but the ongoing pitch issues may hinder the club from supporting such growth.

“We may have to turn players away next season; we simply don’t have enough safe areas to train,” he said. “Dixon Field is by far the worst pitch in the Macedon Ranges… It’s becoming a real headache, and I’m worried someone will get seriously injured.”

To cope with the situation, the club has had to rent alternative pitches for their games.

Carl said discussions with the council had shown some progress, but the issue remained unresolved. If no solution is found, the club might need to use funds reserved for coaching and culture programs to rent safe training and playing space in future.

Gisborne Soccer Club is hopeful that ongoing efforts with the council will lead to a successful resolution.

Ensuring a safe and well-maintained pitch will enable the club to continue flourishing alongside the expanding community.

Gisborne Rookies Junior Football Netball Club

A similar situation has been an issue across town for Gisborne Rookies Junior Football Netball Club.

Club president Jodie Bannan said over the past few years come mid-May the club has had to stop or limit training sessions at Sankey Reserve due to ground conditions which was a big jug- gle and struggle for the committee to try and find dry, suitable venues within the shire.

With help from Council, a grant from Gisborne Bendigo Bank, club funds and support from Star Access Hire, this year the Gisborne Rookies have been able to put some temporary lighting out at Bullengarook Recreation Reserve.

This has enabled players to continue to train throughout the season as well as enabled the club to fit its growing number of teams on an oval space, but the solution is far from ideal.

Gisborne Rookies Football Netball Club hopes a solution to the drainage issues at Sankey Reserve and ideally permanent lighting at Bullengarook Recreation Reserve will be implemented soon to support growing junior football in the district.

The completion of the two new ovals at the New Gisborne Sports Precinct will provide some but not total relief as the new facility will be the home ground of the growing Gisborne Giants Football Netball Club and serve the whole Macedon Ranges.