In the fledgling community of Armstrong Creek dedicated youngsters are lacing up their boots to play for a brand new footy club.
Armstrong Creek Sharks treasurer Chad Dunscombe speaks to Luke Voogt about getting the club off the ground.
Tell us about you…
I’m a pool and spa technician, 40-years-old and I live in Armstrong Creek with my partner Vanessa and two kids Noah and Abby.
Noah’s seven and plays for the Armstrong Creek Sharks, and Abby’s five and hopefully starting netball soon.
I grew up in Melbourne and later Horsham – I played a lot country football until I was 18.
I’ve mostly lived in Melbourne but our family bought Rose Garden Motel in Belmont about a decade ago and we ran it for three years.
My mum and stepdad have lived in Torquay for the past 15 years.
We bought a house in Armstrong Creek just on four years ago.
Noah was about to start school and to me down here had a lot more to offer for our kids.
I like surfing, camping and travelling overseas – I like to see the culture and learn the lifestyle.
How did Armstrong Creek Sharks Football and Netball Club begin?
I’ve always loved being involved in community activities and I had leg-realignment surgery a few years ago – due to a lot of sporting injuries.
Once I started getting back on track, Noah was going to Auskick, and that’s where I met the other club founders.
We started talking about the idea of creating a football club and meeting in local coffee shops.
There was lot of paperwork and insurance, and we had to find people to create a logo.
After we came up with the idea of the shark, we held a challenge at Armstrong Creek School – and that eventually became the basis for our guernsey and logo.
Our first year was 2019. We had under 9s and 10s. This year we’re hoping to have teams in under 9s, 10s, 11s and 13s. It just comes down to numbers.
What’s your role now?
I’m kind of acting president – I may take over officially – but at the moment I’m just acting president and treasurer.
Unfortunately our president and secretary moved to Canberra, and our vice president wasn’t able to commit.
My main focus is to get the kids out on the field.
We’re in a new community and we’re very lucky to have great facilities so let’s make the most of them!
What do you like to do locally?
I like day trips down to the beaches, golfing, surfing, exploring Geelong and attending local events like Nightjar.
How are you coping with COVID-19?
It’s been hard on everyone. We’re kind of lucky being in Geelong that we didn’t get locked down like in Melbourne.
For us working in pools it was still quite busy, we didn’t stop during the entire pandemic.
I think COVID-19 had a big effect on my kids – they’re very active.
We didn’t get to play during 2020 due to restrictions but we did get down to the ground for a couple of activities.
After a terrible year last year it’s something that kids need – to get back to their friends and sport.
We had about 40 at an open training session last Wednesday and the buzz was amazing!
Details: www.armstrongcreekfc.com.au
