While players, coaches and families were disappointed to miss a weekend on the pitch, the break provided an opportunity to reflect on an exciting achievement for the club and celebrate the incredible talent developing within its ranks.
A week earlier, many of the players backed up the Saturday competition by attending a development day in Griffith on Sunday, June 14.
What started as a simple idea to get older kids some competitive minutes blossomed into a massive, region-wide development day, featuring more than 150 passionate young players.
Of those, 60 were from the Deniliquin District Soccer Club.
The event was born out of a collaboration between DDSC and Steve Fattore from the Griffith Football Academy.
Initially checking in to arrange a few friendly matches for the under-14 and under-16 squads, the conversation and plans quickly grew.
Recognising a fantastic opportunity, the decision was made to expand the day, inviting Leeton United to join the action and making it a true celebration of regional football.
Between 9.30am and 2pm, the fields were buzzing with energy as every single team played three to four high-quality matches.
Players for these squads were selected based on their standout performances and dedication during the opening rounds of the DDSC season, and they certainly rose to the occasion.
DDSC proudly fielded teams across the under-8s, under-10s, under-12s, under-14s, and under-16s age groups, with every player demonstrating immense skill, growth, and impeccable sportsmanship.
It was the first time an under-8 development team had been fielded from Deni, giving the youngest stars an early taste of representative-style match play.
Additionally, the newly formed under-12s girls team achieved a major milestone by playing their first matches against other girls’ teams.
It provided a fantastic opportunity to test their training and showcase their growth away from their regular all-boys competition back home.
“This initiative is a core part of DDSC’s ongoing commitment to providing players with higher-level competitive matches, fostering development opportunities, and strengthening our representative pathways,” the club said.
“Just as importantly, it allowed our players and families to build lasting relationships and friendships with neighbouring clubs.
“A massive thank you to Griffith Football Academy and Leeton United for their incredible collaboration, to all the parents and coaches who travelled, and most importantly, to the players who wore the DDSC colours with pride.
“The development day was also a fantastic stepping stone as the club gears up for the upcoming Griffith Cup and Shepparton Cup tournaments.”
Final representative team selections for the cup tournaments will be open to all players.
Trial dates will be announced soon via the club’s social media pages.
Soccer is expected to return to Rotary Park this Saturday, weather and conditions permitting.
Play times:
9.30am: A1 vs A2, B1 vs B2, B3 vs B4, Kangas and Joeys.
10.30am: A3 vs A4, C1 vs C2, C3 vs C4, D1 vs D2, D3 vs D4.
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