THERE may not be a Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara senior football season in 2020, but junior players are guaranteed a chance to hit the park after the league announced its committed to running a modified competition for under-age footballers.
Penola’s senior and junior colts returned to the training track after a three-month hiatus last Thursday, which was met by great enthusiasm from all involved.
Penola junior football president Ben Wurst spoke to The Pennant before last week’s sessions and said it was good to finally have players return to McCorquindale Park.
“It has been a long and hard break, so it is very nice to get back to some normality,” he said.
While COVID-19 has taken plenty of prisoners – both in and outside of the sporting world – the chance for juniors to remain engaged in the game has been a silver lining for Limestone Coast football clubs.
“We are very excited to at least get a partial season in and I think it is nearly going to be a normal season for the kids,” Wurst said.
“They will have a full round of games and a short finals series.
“I think it is great the kids will be able to continue their development and get out and have some good competition.
“Obviously it is not the ideal situation, but I think it is the best we can hope for at the moment.”
It remains to be seen whether the Eagles’ senior ranks will agree to be part of the “Super League”, which could pit teams from the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara, Mid South East and Western Border
football leagues against each other in a modified competition.
At this stage the finer details of the proposed spectacle are yet to be decided, with several meetings expected over the coming weeks.
However, regardless of that outcome, the Penola Football Club is committed to getting back on track, with its juniors the main focus right now.
“It is really disappointing about the seniors, but we are looking forward to having seniors come and help out with trainings and things like that,” Wurst said.
“I am sure it will be really good for the kids’ development.”
While restrictions have eased considerably over the last month, there still remains some strict protocols to follow when hosting training sessions.
“There are still some quite stringent regulations we are having to abide by, so we are taking every effort to make sure we are following the correct procedures,” Wurst said.
“But as far as training drills go, it is nearly normal.
“There is just a bit more administration involved and hygiene with all the equipment and so on.”
However, a little extra planning is well worth the reward of allowing the youngest Eagles a chance to spread their wings at McCorquindale Park with their mates.
