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It goes without saying that we have experience an unprecedented weather event for the 2022 season, this is off the back of two COVID interrupted seasons.

BDAFA, our Club Volunteers have been working hard week in week out to get our games played. To give some context this weekend we have only 12 full fields available and 5 fields that we can use for Small Sided Football to work with.

BDAFA had fortunately scheduled numerous wet weather allowances in the draw, despite the numerous washouts we have been able to reschedule with 95% of our washouts already, with the remainder to also be scheduled in the near future. This means at this point in time we have not effectively lost any games from this season.

We have now reached the point were we have utilised most of our washout rounds allocated for most competitions some still have one (1) washout round remaining.

Moving forward BDAFA will look to schedule the draw and run competitions as follows:

Small Sided Football

• BDAFA are looking to schedule double games later in the season when more fields come online.  Much like we ran Summer football, each team will play two games on game day. Should the wet weather continue, we will look to schedule another mini Gala Day for each grade on a Sunday to give them extra games
• Grade 10/11 will move to playing across the field to allow for more games in this competition to be played.
• Fields that are not playable as a full field, maybe utilised for SSG if possible.  So venues may just play Small Sided Games only.

Competitive

• Moving forward in the short term any washed out games will be re-scheduled to mid-week OR on a Sunday.  Should the weather continue we will revisit the structure.
• We will look for to shift game time in the All Age Men’s space to 12,2,& 4pm. This give an additional time slot across our fields.

We will continue to keep everyone updated as we progress through the season, we thank you for your patience

BDAFA have reviewed the impending weather and have decided to delay the start of the 2022 Winter Season for all Competitions excluding Men’s Premier League.

Due to this delay, we have extend the season and the Grand Finals will now be held on the  17^th & 18^th September 2022.

Men’s Premier League will continue their rounds as per the Draw with the exception of the Season extension.

All other Competitions will now commence on the 23^rd and 24^th April 2022 and finish on the 17^th & 18^th September 2022.

The updated Draw has been published. We appreciate your patience and look forward to getting on the parks.

We are still accepting new teams, please email Glen at glen@bdafa.com.au with any new team entries promptly.

There is still time to register and play Football in Bankstown !

The following clubs are looking for players to fill teams.

Don’t miss out, Register Now

Looking for a club? – go to https://bdafa.com.au/clubs/

Registrations for the 2023 Winter season open soon.

It’s that time of the year to dust off your boots and return to the field.

So grab your friends and register for your local club today!

Find a club in Bankstown –  https://bdafa.com.au/clubs/

Join Our Team

20^th August 2021

2021 Winter Season Update & 2022 BDAFA Discount Fund

Dear Members,

It is with great sadness the BDAFA Board announces the abandonment of the 2021 Winter Football Season. Unfortunately, given the current challenges we all face at this point in time with respect to COVID, and the associated lockdowns, it has made the viability of completing the 2021 Winter Football Season untenable. The extended lockdown and restrictions announced by the government today only confirm this is our only course of action available.

We are sure many in the Bankstown Football family, like us, share the disappointment in the season being cut short. Unfortunately, the current landscape left us with no choice.

Competition Outcomes

When reviewing the competitions and possible competition completion scenarios, it was determined by the Board that the fairest outcome for all participants was to not declare any Minor Premiers or Premiers for the 2021 Season. With many competitions having multiple variables to consider in determining an outcome, we are of the belief that football competitions should be won on the pitch and not via a formula or an arbitrary decision in an office. We hope all participants share this view and understand BDAFA’s decision is the most equitable one of all the options which could be considered.

Small Sided Football participants will still receive their participation medallion from BDAFA through their Club when safe to do so. Further communication will be provided to Clubs to co-ordinate the pick-up of medallions at such time.

Player Fees – 2022 Discount Fund

The BDAFA Board has resolved to establish a fund of over $100,000.00 to be used for discounts by our Member Clubs for participants who played in the 2021 BDAFA Winter Season returning to play in the 2022 BDAFA Winter Season. This discount will be provided directly to Clubs who provide discounts on their 2022 season registration which will allow them to further discount this amount from players registration in 2022. The Clubs must also not have any outstanding invoices to be paid to BDAFA to be eligible for the discounts.

The Board recently met with our Member Clubs in respect to this and many have already agreed to review and provide discounts for returning players where possible on their registration fees in 2022. We look forward to working together to ensure our participants are rewarded for their loyalty.

Below is a summary of the rebates being offered by BDAFA for the 2022 season.

We do however request that participants give their Clubs an opportunity to take time to review their current financial position and how they will schedule their fees for 2022. Clubs will share further information to their members on applicable fees for the 2022 Season in due course.

It should be noted that when Clubs determine their fees and potential discounts for 2022, there are many factors involved which range from expenses which are not recoverable such as uniform costs, training/playing equipment, lighting and other similar expenses.

We still also await feedback on the following items which will be able to assist Clubs in forming their fees for next season:

• Unpaid Referee Fees – BDAFA will be shortly issuing credits to clubs based on unused referee fees.
• Football Australia & Football NSW – Any discounts will be passed onto Member Clubs.
• Canterbury-Bankstown Council – Field Hire costs for 2021 season.

Survey Outcome

Many of you will recall the recent Return to Play survey issued for the 2021 season. We had 2700 participants complete this survey. THANK YOU for your feedback.

This illustrates to us how strong our Bankstown Football community is and how passionate our members are about football. 78% of respondents wanted to return to football … As do we!! If the Public Health Order allows, and it is safe to do so, we will look to provide football in some form to our participants.

Lastly, BDAFA would like to acknowledge and say thank you to our Clubs and their volunteers who have served Bankstown Football tirelessly, in which we would recognise that in our 75 year history as a sport in this area, these may well be the hardest times in our community’s history. Many of you are experiencing great personal hardship and you have, over the last 2 years, still graciously given your time to the Football community. Without you Bankstown Football would not be a success.

To all the players, parents and families that make-up Football in Bankstown, we would not exist without you, and this process over the past 8 weeks has revalidated that Football has a very special place in Bankstown and a passion shared by many for this great game.

We now must look forward to 2022, we look forward to finally being in a position to enjoy football in an uninterrupted season where we can all come back together to enjoy the highs and lows of a game of football.

Finally, thank you to everyone for your ongoing support and we cannot wait to get back to the fields in 2022!

Kind regards,

Dhursalas

Dimitri Hursalas

Chairman – BDAFA

Return to Play – COVID update

As you all are now aware, the NSW Premier recently announced a further extension of existing lockdown restrictions until Friday 27^th August 2021 and has imposed strict lockdowns for the Canterbury Bankstown LGA.  This is a difficult time for all in our community and we wish to send our sincere thoughts to everyone within our community during these difficult times.

Following this announcement, the BDAFA Board has met to discuss numerous options around the feasibility of a potential return to play when lockdowns are eventually reduced.

Football holds a very special meaning in our community and BDAFA are mindful of making sure we do not make any decisions without taking into account the whole football community.

The BDAFA Board will be meeting with our clubs on Monday 2^nd August to discuss potential scenarios with our Club Executives.

Following this meeting, a Return to Play – COVID Survey will be sent to all participants to gauge what direction you would like us to take.  We would appreciate it if all members could take the time to complete this survey to enable to Board to make the most informed decision on behalf of the membership.

Ultimately our final decision will be governed by the following factors:

1) Feedback from our Clubs and their ability to Return to Play in 2021.

2) Feedback from our Participants and their interest to Return to Play in 2021.

3) The timing of a Return to Play subject to lockdown restrictions.

4) Support from Canterbury-Bankstown Council to provide us with an extension of field usage outside our conventional hire period.

5) The logistics of how we complete a season, if there is an interest and possibility to do so.

As always, we will continue to share relevant information to our clubs as it comes to hand.

These are difficulties times for us all, however football has brought our diverse community together for over 70 years in Bankstown and  will continue to do so for many years in the future. We will all get through this together, and we are sure that everybody looks forward to that next opportunity to get back on the pitch and play football, in a safe manner.

Thank you for sharing NSW Health’s messages to your participants. Keeping inside and being tested is our quickest way out of the current situation.

Kind regards,

Dimitri Hursalas – BDAFA Chairman

on behalf of the BDAFA Board

Bankstown Football Referees will be holding a Mid-year Referee’s course.

If you have been considering becoming a Referee OR maybe you are always at your club as the Unofficial Referee, Come and participate in this free Course.

Course held Via zoom over two nights, Mon 19^th and Tue 20^th July – 7-9PM, with an outdoor session on 22^nd Jul at Middleton in conjunction with BUFC.

To complete the course students must first register for it here: http://education-ffa.sportingpulse.com/Entry/?EID=23982

Registration is open NOW, and will close 16 Jul at 10PM.

Registrations are opened to anyone over 13 years old

Before you attend the zoom meeting all students must complete the online LOTG found here: https://learning.ffa.com.au/p/#/app/dashboard?refresh=false

Finally, online LOTG, sessions 1, 2 and 3 are required to gain a qualification, there are no possibilities of running alternate nights.

If you choose to “sign up” as a Referee, there will be registration fees applicable.

28/06/2021

BDAFA Update – Lockdown Restrictions June 2021

Dear Clubs,

As you would be aware, as per advice on Saturday by the NSW Premier strict new restrictions to manage the spread of COVID-19 have now been put in place.

We want to assure our clubs, members and participants that we will manage this situation just like we did in 2020 with the clear goal of being able to complete our season in a safe and enjoyable way once restrictions are lift. In the meantime we please note the following:

Suspension of Football Activities
Football NSW have announce a suspension of all football activities within Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong immediately until 11.59pm on Friday, 9 July 2021.

What does this mean for Football in those areas?

• Effective immediately, all games, training and other football activities must cease;

• All Football NSW and Association competitions and leagues will be suspended until 11.59pm on Friday, 9 July 2021;

• Any football activity which takes place during this period is not sanctioned by Football NSW and, therefore, the Personal Accident insurance cover that is provided as part of a player’s registration may not apply.

City of Canterbury-Bankstown Council

Following on from the restriction announcement, City of Canterbury-Bankstown Council all of Canterbury Bankstown Council’s sporting facilities and fields will be closed for all organised sporting activities.

Council is taking this situation very seriously and the health and safety of our community is our number one priority. Please be advised that failure to comply these new restrictions will be taken very seriously and may jeopardise your future bookings and/or be reported to the relevant Health and Government authorities.

We will continue to communicate with both Football NSW & Council on behalf our clubs and members as changes and restrictions evolve, we will also continue to keep all Clubs updated on any changes and as we subsequently working our way back in to a return to play state.

In the interim, BDAFA will be working through the different considerations for the season to be completed once restrictions are lifted. We will once available share this information with clubs, as you could imagine there may be further changes based on any changes to restrictions moving forward.

The BDAFA office will be CLOSED

We look forward to being back to football shortly and seeing you all around the grounds.

For more information on the coronavirus, including updates, alerts and resources, please visit the https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/latest-updates.aspx

Kind Regards,

On behalf of the board

 Dimitri Hursalas

Dhursalas

Chairman – BDAFA & BUFC

Calling all Over 35 & 45’s !!!

BDAFA are excited to support Keith Closet and Revesby Workers Football Club.

Grab your mates, register and have a great day playing football and supporting a great Initiative. For more information about Keith’s Closet go to https://www.facebook.com/KeithsCloset2019/

Game Info

14th June 2021 from 10am to 4pm – Marco Reserve 

$20 per player

Register below

Annual_Gala_Day_2021_flyer_teamlist