Words: Michael Flynn
Image courtesy of Gold Coast Champions Cup

Two Gold Coast City teams wrapped their season in style by claiming two coveted junior titles in the Gold Coast Champions Cup on the weekend.

City’s Under 18 Boys and Under 16 Boys both won their respective Grand Finals to cap off a successful tournament for the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland club.

The Gold Coast Champions Cup, now in its twentieth year, is hosted by Gold Coast community club Mudgeeraba Soccer Club and this year featured over 150 teams playing across seven fields at Glennon Park, Nerang.

Participating clubs travelled from as far afield as north Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand to contest the tournament - billed as the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Gold Coast City Technical Director Jim Gelagotis said while the team performances across all age groups were impressive, the club’s participation in the tournament was about showcasing the club’s player development ethos in line with the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues.

“The tournament is based on the Gold Coast and, as the NPL representative club on the Gold Coast, it is important that Gold Coast City demonstrates what our program is all about to the region,” Gelagotis explained.

“It was one of the main reasons I took our teams to the Champions Cup. Gold Coast City is a bit of a fledgling club and, in some ways, no-one really knows what we are about – so we wanted to show the brand, the philosophy and our structures.”

That included fielding their Under 18’s team – which was comprised of Under 18’s and Youth Men’s players from the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland season – against an All-Stars team comprising stand-outs from other participating clubs.

“The majority of our boys have come through the club’s NPL program for a number of years and the feedback we got was really good.”

“It was one of the best games of youth football I have seen in Australia in a long time and I heard that from many people who watched it.”

“That sort of performance is important because we are determined the do the best we can by these kids by giving them a program that is deserving of the Gold Coast region and also showing that to the rest of the community.”

John White, a Director and President of Mudgeeraba Soccer Club, was amongst the admirers of Gold Coast City’s teams during the tournament.

“Gold Coast City supported the competition fantastically and the club’s coaches and players should be really proud of themselves,” White said.

“There was some great football played by them, as well as everyone else in the tournament.”

For a full run-down of results from the week-long tournament, visit http://www.championsyouthcup.com/