After two disrupted seasons in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, CDSFA is committed to ensuring as many matches get played as possible in 2022.
With the inclement weather so far this year – which has seen only one uninterrupted weekend in the first seven weeks – this season has been disrupted.
Despite these disruptions, the Association is doing everything possible to make sure we don’t have to shorten a third consecutive season.
Unlike the majority of football associations in New South Wales who have simply cancelled games when rounds have been washed-out, we are working hard to reschedule every single competitive premiership game, to ensure all matches are played.
This has resulted in 1,200 matches being rescheduled so far this season. The downside to the rescheduled matches is that the regular season may have to be extended at the expense of finals.
The season cannot be extended further as football only has limited access to fields: summer sports get council grounds for seven months while winter sports get council grounds for five months. Due to this (and the limited number of all-weather fields in our region), our season must be completed by the end of August.
Rest assured we will do our best to ensure finals go ahead for as many leagues as possible, but the priority is to ensure the regular season is completed so that all players get to play their full complement of matches.
To attempt to avoid this scenario, we have rescheduled washed-out games as double headers and midweek games. While these may be an inconvenience, there is no other way around it if we want to play a full season.
The exception to the above is our flagships competitions, the Grace Martin Trophy and the Bill Brackenbury Cup. Due to other factors associated with these competitions, finals need to be played.
Please note, following feedback from clubs and parents involved in small-sided football (non-premiership games), these matches will not be rescheduled if they are washed out.
Feature image credit: Photographed with Love
