The Grassroots of AFL Club development on the Sunshine Coast has been at the forefront of participation growth in Queensland.
One of the youngest clubs on the Sunshine Coast this year celebrates their tenth birthday.
Driving along the Nicklin Way through Bokarina on selected Friday nights and Sundays you will notice a hive of activity at Kawana Waters State College AFL field.
But do not be fooled by the one AFL oval facility or the BBQ working overtime in just off the side of the field posing as a canteen.
Current Club president of the Kawana Park Eagles, Paul Meehan said that the match day environment at Kawana Park is something that he is very proud of as a club person, committee member and parent.
“We now have a very strong volunteer base and I believe this is the key to not only successful match day environment but a successful club with strong numbers and continual growth,” Meehan said.
This is a club that has achieved above and beyond expectations and although a short history, a history embedded with volunteer sweat, labour and tears that have resulted in ultimate club success.
Over the last ten years one area that has never diminished has been the level of quality volunteers working together building this baby club to be the second biggest AFL club on the Sunshine Coast in 2012.
With 200 registered junior participants and 70 NAB AFL Auskickers it is a phenomenal achievement for a club that started on the small school oval at Chancellor State Primary School.
In 2002 AFL Queensland Sunshine Coast highlighted Chancellor Park as an area that would be well suited for a junior AFL club.
Along with a supportive group, Peter Phelan was elected as Junior President of the Chancellor Park Eagles.
“I guess I stuck my hand up because I had one of my kids playing in Under 10s and along with a few others I knew I would have the support I needed,” Phelan explains.
“The toughest part was in fact finding a ground in the area that was not only suitable but ticked all the boxes for local council, AFL Queensland and eventually Education Queensland.”
For any sporting club trying to establish itself within a community the first step is having a solid facility and field to begin the process of being a well-respected community sports organisation.
Eventually Chancellor State Primary was the birth place for the first inaugural year of the AFL Sunshine Coast Chancellor Park Eagles.
After a year at the facility it became increasingly evident through lack of resources and facility functionality that is was not the most suitable place for a junior AFL club.
“We moved in 2003 to the Sunshine Coast University Rugby Union Ground which was a more suitable facility because we had our own canteen and we were able to generate fundraising capabilities,” Phelan said.
“In 2004 Sally Aloe was elected as the new junior president and took the reins from me... she did an outstanding job with continually fostering the relationship with all stakeholders until 2006 when Paul Meehan stuck his hand up.
“Looking back on the formation of the Eagles the great thing was the people that put their hands up to not only get the club started but to continually support its development and member satisfaction across the board”.
“The people who really need to be thanked are the parents who supported not only the club but each of the transition phases, they stayed behind us and it was awesome to know that you always had their support.”
The season of 2006 was yet another ground change for the junior Eagles who played all of their games at Kawana Waters State College for the next two years.
It was evident in this time that the Eagles really needed somewhere consistent to not only call home, but somewhere they could potentially build a ‘home’.
With the Stockland Park facility next door growing at a rapid pace, while the idea was on the cards, it never really aligned for the Eagles who were continually showing massive growth in participation numbers.
Looking back at participation numbers the Eagles hit the ranks with 38 juniors running around with the Eagle logo emblazoned on their chest which swelled to 137 by 2006.
The massive jump in numbers was the result of a few factors but none more so than the NAB AFL Club Auskick Program that similarly began with 25 kids and grew to 70 by the next season kick-off.
Now as the second biggest club on the Coast with 270 it is worth reflecting on how far this club has come, what they have achieved and what they can accomplish in the next five to ten year period.
Current President, Paul Meehan fills in the gap between 2006 -2012, which has not only seen enormous participation growth, but the fostering of relationships with Kawana Waters State College, Education Queensland and the Sunshine Coast Council along with facility improvement galore.
“While we moved to Kawana Waters State College in 2006 we did not change the name of the Club until 2008,” Meehan said.
Enter the Kawana Park Eagles, home ground- Kawana Park, Kawana Waters State College.
“The relationship that we now have with Kawana Waters State College is a mutually beneficial partnership that began with Education Queensland, John Lockhart and myself.
“It all began with a lot of communication about intentions, strategic planning and recommendations from Education Queensland that guided all parties in the right direction so that everyone was happy with the outcome.
“The outcome for us with the implementation of the MOU (memorandum of understanding) between us and the school which gave us a real home ground that we had the flexibility to add to with the consent of the school.
“Back at the University we could not apply for funding or grants because we did not have tenure over the facility so we just had to make do with fundraising money whereas now, thanks to the MOU, we can apply funding to continually develop our club.”
That development has come a long way in ten years and in the last three years alone has seen numerous structures appear at Kawana Park including, light towers and a canteen shelter but with the club ‘living’ out of a shed it was also on the radar to build that ‘home’.
And by the beginning of season 2013 that building will be a reality, thanks to funding available through Sport and Recreation Queensland, AFL Queensland, Sunshine Coast Council, Kawana Waters State College, AFL Sunshine Coast Juniors and of course the Eagles funds.
It is a major achievement for a club that is not only young but had to jump around the Coast looking for a suitable facility to call home.
On top of all of those remarkable achievements the Kawana Park Eagles have taken out the AFL Sunshine Coast Juniors Club of the Year two years consecutively (2010/2011) with the aim to make it three-in-a-row this year.
Not to mention their massively successful NAB AFL Auskick Program that recognised their program coordinator, Paul Menti as one of the best in Queensland in 2010 due to not only its enormous growth but the quality of the program deliverance.
This program has been consistently maintained and isthe major feeding point for the massive incline in participation numbers as they filter through to Under 8s and beyond.
With so much to brag about, none of this would be possible without the constant barrage of quality club volunteers who put their hands up at every Annual General Meeting to not only help their kids enjoy AFL but to assist and be a part of this extraordinary club.
Happy Tenth Birthday to the Kawana Park Eagles
If you wish to be involved in the celebrations why not come along to the ‘official’ birthday party on June 16 from 7pm at the Fourth Floor Restaurant, Mooloolaba.
This is set to be a huge night with Fundraising Coordinator, Debbie Linton managing to snare Sam Kekovich as the guest speaker for the evening- another testament to hard working volunteers that have made Kawana Park Eagles what they are today.
Click here for more information about the Birthday celebrations, or follow the Eagles online at www.kawanaparkjuniors.aflq.com.au or on Facebook.
To finish off an article, that potentially has not covered every achievement of this club and its volunteers, the only rationale that is fitting would be leaving it to Mr Meehan to tell us his tips to successful club.
1. The opportunity for an MOU to be in place- this enabled us to apply for grants and obtain other forms of financial support
2. Strong, quality well coordinated volunteer base- we have a large committee and it is crucial that we have a well structured document outlining roles, responsibility and committee structure hierarchy as well as a functional strategic plan.
3. Relationship with AFL Sunshine Coast Juniors- their assistance with structure, grants, leadership and over all guidance.
Where to for here for the Kawana Park Eagles?
“In our five year strategic plan it is stated and we will strive to be the best Junior AFL Club in Queensland,” Meehan said.
Last Modified on 21/06/2012 12:10