Hello Rovers Families,
It is with disappointment to confirm that the SMJFL has announced that our 2021 footy season has now been cancelled, based on the Victorian Government announcing an extension to the current lockdown being experienced across Victoria.
The extension to at least 23 September 2021 means that the final rounds scheduled for 5 and 12 September cannot be played.
This also means that there will be no SMJFL Grand Finals this year, nor any SMJFL Best and Fairest recipients.
The SMJFL are hopeful that a ‘Football for Fun’ program can be held later in the year, as it was so successfully in 2020. We will keep you posted.
As we now look ahead to 2022, the most important thing is to get to a new level of normal as quickly as possible. For the kids, we need our 2022 season to run smoothly. The Hampton Rovers Juniors Committee encourages the broader community to strongly consider their vaccination options, and if unsure, please discuss with your GP as quickly as possible.
RCD Foundation
The Robert Connor Dawes (RCD) Foundation Round was meant to run back on 22 August on what should have been Round 14. The RCD Foundation is the charity partner of the SMJFL and raises much needed funds to support patients and conduct critical research to find a cure for paediatric brain cancer – the number one disease killer of young people.
I have signed up to participate in Connor’s Run – Your Way Any Day – during September. It’s provided me with a fantastic goal and the motivation I needed to get back into running, while contributing to a great cause. If the RCD Foundation Round went ahead as planned, we would normally have sold beanies and other merchandise to support the cause.
If you would like to support the RCD Foundation, please purchase beanies and other merchandise directly from their online store, or sign up for Connor’s Run… there are still spots available!
Resilience during trying times
I was fortunate enough to participate in some online sessions on building resilience earlier in the week. As part of the sessions, a Ted Talk from Dr Lucy Hone was shared on the three secrets of resilient people. What I took away was:
- Resilient people understand that unpleasant things happen and tough times come,
- Resilient people are good at choosing where they focus their attention, and
- Resilient people ask themselves, ‘Is what I’m doing helping or harming me?’
I found the Ted Talk helpful and inspiring. I hope you do too, especially if you or others around you are struggling during Lockdown 6.
Thanks to our sponsors
The past two seasons have been particularly tough – no more so for our loyal sponsors. I’d like to thank each and every one of our sponsors who has stuck with us for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Please support the sponsors that support us! There are so many ways you can help. Grab your fruit and veggies from Hampton Fruit Centre. Enjoy a Friday night pizza with Picasso’s. Take the kids for a Cold Rock ice-cream on a Sunday arvo. Enjoy a family meal (when we can) at Hotel Brighton. Get your lockdown (and non-lockdown) sporting goods from Knight Sport. Chat to the team at Sandringham Community Bank for your finance needs. Enjoy delicious burgers with Grill’d. Chat to the team at DSB for designing, subdividing or building.
And for our biggest, most committed sponsors – please speak with Buxton Sandringham to buy, sell or rent. And if you are looking to upgrade your car, don’t forget to go and check out Brighton Mazda. And always remember to tell all of our sponsors that the Hampton Rovers sent you!
Shout out – putting a smile on our faces
Finally, my thanks goes to the former Rovers who sent messages of support to our players during this tough lockdown, as well as our Rovers stars in the making.
My heartfelt thanks goes to former Rovers Miles Bergman (Port Adelaide FC), Bella Eddy (North Melbourne FC) and Will Walker (North Melbourne FC) for the messages that you sent for our players. Thank you. You put a smile on many players faces – and reminded them all to dream big.
An extra big thanks goes to our stars in the making – Isaac Heeney (a.k.a. Toby Clarkson U12) and Marc Murphy (a.k.a. Kai Hotton U12) – for their positive messages for all the juniors at the club. What a way to put a smile on our faces during lockdown!
We will stay in touch while we close out 2021 and prepare for 2022. Please look out for a message from your Team Manager regarding acknowledgements for your team and returning footy jumpers. Please keep an eye out for the messages.
To all our Hampton Rovers Juniors families and players – remember to keep looking for the positives each day, and be thankful for our wonderful community.
Take care. Go Rovers.
Rohan Bardwell
President
Hampton Rovers Juniors
PASSION – TEAMWORK – FUN – RESPECT
