Hills Football in conjunction with its representative arm, Hills United FC, intend on providing an extensive submission for Caddies Creek -Stage 2 with the support and endorsement of Football NSW and Football Australia.
Hills Football welcomes the recent release from The Hills Shire Council regarding the masterplan for the Caddies Creek Sports Complex – Stage 2 – Draft Master Plan – Caddies Creek Sports Complex – Stage 2 (nsw.gov.au).
A true community organisation, HFI provides football for all players of all ages and all abilities. Despite the recent challenges with Covid-19, the association still registered 13,000 winter participants with key highlights in 2021 including the highest ever participation numbers: female teams doubling from 2020 to 2021, the inclusion of a Womens Premier League and O50s Walking Football League. However, the facilitation of the areas most participated sport is at the strategic forefront of the association, catering for not only participation and population growth but also providing the football community with its long overdue ‘home of football’.
HFI annually caters for over 20,000 members: inclusive of summer & winter participants, coaches, referees, as well as our hard-working volunteers and club officials. Notably however Hills remains the only Sydney-metro association without a defined ‘Home of Football’ for its vastly growing community.
General Manager, Matt Rippon noted “Hills Football significantly exceeded the state average player-to-pitch ratio of 189, with 224 players per pitch. This is only expected to increase following significant population growth and the legacy of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The proposed masterplan allows the Association to accommodate all levels of football, coach and referee education, player development and pathway programs as well as key community fixtures and events. A long-term legacy to the people of The Hills and its most participated sport”.
Football NSW CEO Stuart Hodge said “Football NSW completely supports Hills Football’s aspiration to have a ’home of football’ at Caddies Creek Sports Complex. The location is ideal to support the continued significant growth in participation that the region is enjoying and will provide a high-performance environment to assist in nurturing the next generation of Matildas and Socceroos.”
“Working hand in hand with our Association to be able to provide a complete player pathway from Grassroots football to Representative Football for boys, girls, men and women from our community has been HUFC’s drive for a number of years, the Caddies Creek Stage 2 facility gives all Footballers, Coaches, Administrators of the “Hills” the opportunity to do that all together in our own backyard” – Tristan Rimmer, Hills United FC President.
The submission also has the backing of Gary van Egmond (fmr. Socceroo, Matildas assistant Coach, Young Matildas Head coach and current Young Socceroos Head Coach) “I do not think anyone can underestimate the legacy such a facility will bring to the participants of the Hills area, a place to be proud of, to call home and to develop in all areas regardless of ability. I look forward to working with the next generation of Matildas and Socceroos from the Hills Association.”
Facilities such as Caddies Creek Sports Complex – Stage 2 not only enables growth in the game, but they also enable broader community development. Ensuring the Hills Football community has adequate spaces to actively and safely engage in the world game. This was reiterated by Hills United FC Senior Football Manager and former Socceroo and Head of National Teams, Luke Casserly “Football is a unique sport, it is an enabler for people of all abilities, ages & cultures to come together and speak the one language whilst connecting us to the broader community”.
We call on the Hills football community to support the Hills Football submission by completing the below ‘Community Feedback’ portal – https://form.jotform.com/212427997319063
Thank you for your support!
