We currently play twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays. Each session has a different set-up, so read on to find out how to join!

Tuesday

Tuesday evenings is at Newtown Youth Academy. (3 Primose Lane, Newtown; it’s at the back of the Fairfield Hills complex) We have to pay for this space, and it’s not quite a full size field so we limit it to 24 players each week, maximum.

The way it works is that we have 3 ‘sessions’ a year that each run for 4 months. At the beginning of the session, players can pay and sign up to have a guaranteed slot for the duration of those 4 months – this is the cheapest way to play, assuming you show up most weeks. There’s no refund if you don’t show up for any of the them – once you’re in, you’re in. (although I try to be fairly charitable in the event that there’s an injury). Some sessions there are 17 weeks, sometimes it’s 16 (and, depending upon the calendar, it can be fewer because of holidays, etc). People who have played in the previous session get the right of first refusal for the new session.  

If you’re unable to commit to the entire session or if there is no space for new session players, we also offer drop-ins. That’s done on a week-to-week basis. How that works is this;

1. Receive email (you need to be signed up to receive them – use the form!) – they’re usually sent at about 1pm on the Tuesday.

2. Respond saying you’d like to play as a drop-in that evening.

3. I will let you know around 6pm on Tuesday if there is space. I encourage, cajole and occasionally outright shame the session players to let me know if they plan to play – there’s an app and everything – so if we have space, those who’ve asked to do drop-in can play, first come, first served. The response to the 1pm email is the important bit – it’s not practical for me to have people asking via text or separate email, and this seems the fairest way of doing it.

The cost for drop-in is currently $15, ideally to be paid via Venmo (I don’t usually carry change, and apparently now I’m getting old I can expect more injuries and abscences). In January 2024 I expect that to go up to $20, because we will be getting charged about 20% more for the field rental. More to follow on that (again; look out for the emails)

In case you’re wondering – the money from the drop-in goes towards expenses such as new pinnies, goals, soccer ball, Ballard’s hair transplant, as well as subsidising the cost a bit for the following session.

Saturday

On Saturday mornings we play at Tilson Field, most of the time. The start time varies depending on who else we expect to be using the space, but it’s either 7am or 8am. Generally we play for about an hour and a half. There is currently no cost associated with this – you can also just show up and join in because we’re not limited on space in the same way as at the Youth Academy. We don’t have plans to charge but occasionally I’ll ask for a voluntary contribution via email to pay for stuff we need – e.g. last winter they chained up the goals so together we were able to pay for our own that one of us brings each week.