Picture: JAMES MURPHY
GAMBIER Centrals Soccer Club appears in a stable position amid the COVID-19 pandemic and should be able to weather the storm until play can resume.
Centrals president Shane Dycer said while there will be an obvious strain on the financial side of all clubs, the Lions will live to roar another day.
He said the closure of the club has been utilised for maintenance work during the forced down period.
“We have purchased some kitchen equipment, bar equipment and stuff we are going to try and fit up while the clubrooms are not being used,” Dycer said.
“We are trying to do a few little jobs around the club just to do a few things while we are not open.”
From a financial point of view, Dycer said the club has the resources to push through in the worst-case scenario, which would see no soccer played in 2020.
“We are privately owned,” he said.
“We still have bills and rates and insurances, but luckily for us in the summer period we did have quite a few functions and hires, so that money will cover us through if we do not get on this year.”
As far as player movements go, Dycer said coaches are doing what they can to keep their teams motivated and prepared, should the season be able to go ahead.
“Different coaches are adopting different methods to do a little bit of stuff to keep everyone together,” he said.
“I have the Under 12’s and we have a chat group and I put things on the chat for the kids to do each week.
“Nathan (Fleetwood) has told (A Grade) to keep doing stuff and set tasks and running and all the stuff that most of them do anyway.”
He said with everyone in the same boat, if it comes to the season being able to take off, players and teams will be ready.
The current postponement date of May 31 can be taken with a grain of salt in these uncertain times and it is likely the season will need to be reformatted in some way if it is given the green light.
However, through his involvement in both winter and summer sporting codes, Dycer is confident some sort of agreement could be made to ensure everyone is able to get on the field this year.
“I am involved of course with soccer and cricket,” he said.
“If it meant cricket had to shuffle back a bit for footy and soccer and netball to play a bit longer to get the seasons in, I think we would all accommodate each other under the circumstances.”
But for now the club will see what next month brings.
“All we are doing is trying to keep our morale up with our chat groups and own little bits and pieces,” Dycer said.
“As a club off the field we are just trying to get a few jobs tidied up and hoping like hell we get on this year.”
