| North Coast Football (NCF) today announced the start of the 2022 community football season would be delayed a few weeks due to saturated grounds and the forecast of more significant rain in the next week.
Football for around 5,000 players was due to commence on the first weekend in April. The season will begin on the weekend after Easter, centred around Saturday, 23 April 2022.
Many football fields in the Coffs Harbour City, Bellingen and Nambucca Valley local government areas remain saturated following months of steady and heavy rain on the north coast. A start date for competition in the Clarence Valley has yet to be considered.
Further saturation of fields is expected with 42 to 120 mm of rain forecast between Thursday morning and Monday night in Coffs Harbour (as at 7 pm Monday 21/3).
Saturated fields present a safety risk to players, and heavy usage of wet fields can result in long term damage, impacting the entire football season.
The year is shaping up as another solid year for football on the north coast, following a record-breaking year in player numbers.
The Coastal Premier League Men’s competition will continue to start on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 April 2022.
Comments by Andrew Woodward, General Manager, North Coast Football
We’re very disappointed we can’t start before Easter because of the rain we’ve had and what’s forecast.
Player safety comes first. Some teams haven’t been able to train because of the saturation of fields. Soft and muddy fields also increase the risk of injury to players.
Too much play on wet fields can also cause long term damage to fields.
We have enough time available after Easter to get in an entire season. So, for the moment, we just have to be patient. |
