FQ Community Cup
Football Queensland South West would like to announce the introduction in 2018 of the inaugural FQ Community Cup.
After the enthusiastic response at the last Zone Presidents Meeting to the prospect of inter-zone competition, Football Queensland have established the FQ Community Cup. This tournament will provide an elite level of competition to the best talent in Queensland outside the advanced player pathway, giving promising young players an opportunity to test themselves against their peers from across the state.
FQ is currently working through logistics of the Cup, however Zones will be invited to enter teams across seven age groups (U12 to U16 for Boys, U13 and U15 for Girls).
FQSW will endeavour to select teams from across all seven age groups.
The Cup will take place in Mackay during the 2018 June-July school holidays. These holidays run from 30 June to 15 July in 2018, and specific competition dates will be communicated at a later date.
To ensure officiating coverage across the Cup, Zones are required to provide one referee per team entered and arrange for referee travel. FQ will organise referee accommodation to provide one centralised location for referees.
Zone teams cannot include players from NPL QLD, NPLW QLD, FQPL or SAP Clubs.
In addition to Zone teams, three NPL QLD sides (FNQ FC Heat, North Queensland United and Magpies Crusaders United) will be invited to enter teams. The rationale of this decision is, despite these Clubs’ positions in the advanced player pathway, their junior teams (U16 and below) will be competing in local competitions.
Football Brisbane will be invited to enter two teams in each age group. This is due to the Zone’s large participation numbers; restricting Brisbane to one team would deny high-level competition from too many talented players.
As mentioned above, the primary function of the FQ Community Cup is talent identification for players not currently inside the advanced player pathway.
The FQSW cost has been estimated between $300 – $400.00 per player if they are selected. This fee includes quality Coaching, Nomination fees, team photo, Hire of training fields, Admin costs. Cost to purchase uniforms is separate.
This is a fantastic opportunity for all our players to attend a State Championship carnival, as we will be participating against various other Zone Representative teams from throughout Queensland.
Gold Coast Cup Tournament
With the introduction of the FQ Community Cup, it has been decided that we will no longer be taking Zone representative teams to the Gold Coast Cup. Clubs are welcome to take their own teams to participate in this tournament.
Whilst for the last 5-6 years this has been a great tournament to attend, many teams felt disadvantaged as the majority of teams competing at the GC Cup have been playing together as a team for the entire season in high level local competitions with our teams slightly disadvantaged with only 8-10 weeks training.
Zone Championships
To select our Zone Rep teams to attend the FQ Community Cup, we will continue to hold Zone Championships to enable players to be selected into their respective age groups.
These Zone Championships will be for the same age groups – U12-U16 Boys and U13 & U15 Girls. Age groups will be combined together if not enough nominations are received in each age group.
Toowoomba Rep Teams will be sourced from all the players in the TFL Junior competition, and invitations will be sent to South Burnett, Stanthorpe, Warwick, Dalby/Chinchilla and Goondiwindi to enter Association/Club Rep teams to participate in the zone championships.
These will be conducted over two days 18th & 25th March 2018 quite possibly at a number of venues.
Teams will play each other to determine the Zone Champions in each age group.
Players will also be selected by the Zone coaches & independent selectors over these two days to form the Zone Rep teams to participate in the FQ community Cup.
Nomination Forms to coach a Zone Rep team have been sent to Clubs
TFL Representative Teams
Toowoomba Only
Players in Toowoomba will be invited to trial on Sundays 18th and 25th February to be selected into the Tmba Rep Teams.
The number of teams formed will be dependent upon the number of players that attend in each age group.
Teams will be selected to play in the Zone Championships, where players can then be selected into the Zone Rep Teams.
Nomination Forms to coach a Tmba Rep team to participate in the Zone Championships have been sent to Clubs.
[Image: David Lobwein]
SOUTH WEST QUEENSLANDER THUNDER
Based in Toowoomba, South West Queensland Thunder represents the region in PlayStation® 4 National Premier Leagues Queensland – the top tier of football in the state.
Thunder field teams both boys and girls junior teams from ages 12 and up through to Senior Men and Women’s teams.
The club provides a pathway for local players to ultimately progress through to the Hyundai A-League, Westfield W-League and beyond.
As well as competing in PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland, the club also runs a licenced Skill Acquisition Program
For more information, visit www.swqthunder.com.au.