BY CATHERINE FERRARO
THE Mitchell Rangers Football Club hopes to tap into the hype which swept the country during the 2010 World Cup and find some assistance for its desperate situation.
The club has fought a long and well-publicised battle to find a home ground pitch within the Mitchell Shire for seven years, and looked to have gained some ground with the temporary use of the soccer ground at the Broadford Secondary College becoming available earlier this year.
With Shire Council financial assistance of $7000, which helped fund light towers at the ground, the Rangers looked to have their season on track with a local training and playing pitch, and most importantly a home base, to provide stability for the club.
However, the club now faces another and perhaps even greater obstacle.
Due to the recent heavy rain in the area, the pitch at the Secondary College has been deemed unplayable, which has once again left the Rangers with no training or playing venue for home matches.
Frustrated club president Anthony DeBattista describes the efforts of club members and parents as “a constant battle.”
“We are extremely frustrated that our efforts to keep the club running are going nowhere. It is becoming an unbearable cost to both club, players and parents to keep finding alternate venues for training and for games.
“We have been in negotiation with the council for seven years and have never received anything in writing as to when a public pitch will be made available to our club.
“If it wasn’t for public and private schools in the area, the club would never have survived these seven years,” he said.
With over a month left in the club’s season, and with the success the club has enjoyed on the field ensuring at least three of the club’s six teams are in contention for a champion’s flag, the need to continue training is of the utmost importance.
DeBattista has called on the Mitchell Shire Council to provide a real commitment to the club which will allow them to “look towards the future”.
“We are extremely appreciative of all of council’s efforts but we really need something in concrete now. We need a commitment from the council that ensures the Rangers have a future in the Mitchell Shire.”
When approached, Mitchell Shire Council’s Acting CEO Terry Makings advised:
“Council continues to work with the Mitchell Rangers Football Club and shares the club’s frustration regarding access to a home ground.
“The provision of appropriate playing fields for soccer is a priority of council as we support the Mitchell Rangers Football Club with this.”
The club has the possibility of becoming one of the largest clubs in the northern region and has enjoyed additional support with sponsors and new members getting on board.
But these additional setbacks are hitting the close-knit club hard.
“I am very pleased with the amount of work and dedication the club’s committee, coaches and volunteers have produced this season.
“Everyone works their butts off and it is all for the kids, but we just don’t know how long we can keep doing this without shire support,” DeBattista said.
The Mitchell Rangers Football Club executive and members would appreciate any assistance from the community in getting their voice heard, and believe that with the realisation of their dream of finding a home ground pitch within the Mitchell Shire, the huge community service they provide will only gain strength.
