The Roys return from pre season camp ready for 2020
The Roys headed down to Grantville on the weekend for a pre season camp full of challenging sessions, team bonding, values setting, education and fun!
Senior captains Julian Turner and Jess Hayes have provided us with a look into the weekend and what the teams got up to with the first instalment of their Captain's Diaries for Season 2020.
Keep an eye out for more entries from our captains during the season for their exclusive insights.
Julian Turner Fitzroy Senior Men's Captain's Diary:
Vol 1 - Pre season camp
A long day at work passes quickly as I rush to finish enough work to get me out in time for my magic carpet ride with Will 'The Wizard' Zaghis. They say a wizard is never late, and in this case they’re right; Wiz arrives precisely when he means to (90 minutes after I expected), leaving me the perfect amount of time to remember various essential camp items I’d usually kick myself for forgetting. Pub kitchens close at 8pm in Grantville and it’s Valentine’s day, so the five of us opt for a romantic freeway rest stop about half an hour out.
Energy is still high when we arrive, and despite it only being two days since we’ve trained together, it’s still exciting to see each new carload of players roll in – everyone’s in a good mood. Jack Hart demolishes me at table tennis and I blame the quality of my bat while Pav and Ned Ryan happily play using a pair of Birkenstocks next to us. Chances for a good night’s sleep in cabin 2 are slim with Ligris, Jumeau and Lachy Grace having a stereotypically loud Collingwood/Richmond/Essendon argument outside our window.
As usual, the first discussion of the next morning centres on who sleep talks and snores the loudest. We don our team colours (for me this means the rainbow flag of Seychelles) and pad outside into the mist and rain to meet the coaches. Nine soggy but high-spirited Olympic-themed events follow across Saturday and Sunday, starting with a puzzle-piece scavenger hunt among the stringybarks (won in suspicious circumstances by Spain) and ending with the Seychelles receiving the tiny nation’s first ever Olympic medal – a bronze.
Highlights included a win in the tug of war, second-place finishes in soccer, AFL 9s and the wheelie-bin skills challenge and brand new Fitzroy-ACU recruit Nadia Conte carrying us through the trivia… until she had to compete in a challenge to name current Fitzroy players, most of whom she hadn’t met. Everyone gave their all in another gruelling Steve Hurl boot camp, while Sharon underwent a boot camp of her own in the kitchen - cooking lunch and dinner for 60+ almost single-handedly.
Sunday morning and coach Bernie arrived at our cabin door unannounced and far too early, and anyone lucky enough to have dry socks or shoes thanks their lucky stars. The teams are a little sluggish in the final two events of the weekend, clearly with an eye on breakfast for which Sharon collects another gold medal. The last-placed French drew Sharon-coordinated cleaning duty led by Gemma, with help from Lenny, Mia, Yoshi, Ross and the coaches. As we leave it's 'see you next year' to Grantville and 'see you tomorrow' to our teammates. Huge thanks to all the coaches, players and Sharon (again) for putting together another pre-season camp.
Jess Hayes Fitzroy-ACU Senior Women's Captain's Diary:
Vol 1 - Pre season camp
Pre season camp. One of the most highly anticipated events on the FFC calendar. For each, it differs. Whether it be the gruelling boot camp, the opportunity to build new connections with people or to show off all the work put in over the pre season so far.
For me? It’s a weekend of tough exercise made bearable as I am with my Roys. Coming into camp this year, there was a fear of the unknown. With promises of the camp being like no other before, there were whisperings filled with concern and curiosity. Keeping their lips tightly sealed, the coaches spent countless hours preparing to create the first Fitzroy Olympics seen in my years at the club. The responsibility then fell on the team captains to select their countries, coordinate outfits and bring about a sense of camaraderie. There was a theme that began to emerge, of great soccer countries, with Spain, Brazil, France and Seychelles (whose World Cup Record stands at 0 Wins, 2 draws and 14 losses since 2002 according to Wikipedia), so it was a given that the weekend would at a very high standard of athletic prowess. The competition was on!
With the early morning wake up call from Bernie, the weekend was off to a flying start with Spain taking an early lead on the race to find puzzle pieces and put them together; a task of speed, skill and patience. Of course, there were questions of Spain’s integrity, as news came in that puzzle pieces had been hidden within the task. This then made Spain the team that everyone wanted to beat. It could have been their colour choice of red, known at pre season camp to make your team the enemy.
We followed up with a skills session, breakfast, training at the Bass oval, Lunch, Men's and Women's vision and values sessions, the fearful boot camp, some more team activities, a briefing on the player wellbeing program, a presentation on Champion Data, dinner and a trivia night. All activities found a way to highlight individual and team strengths, which was brilliantly organised by the coaches. There was equal opportunity for each team member to contribute to the success of their country. Spain’s early lead, although challenged, held through strong until the end of the weekend, although some might argue that Brazil won out in the team work, good looks and overall skill department.
Speaking on behalf of the Women’s team, there was great discussion about the team vision and values, which need to be finalised. There is an incredible drive from all of the wonderful Roy Girls to be part of something brilliant this year, and this session was a starting point to being more united. It is a great thing to be seeing these women build and improve on the year that was 2019.
This weekend is such an incredible part of the season for all players. And it would in no way be possible without the brilliant coaches, who went over and above this year to make the weekend an absolute blast, without Sharon, the wonderful woman who kept us fed and hydrated and organised, the board members, the guest presenters (I never thought I would be as interested in data as I am now! Thanks Karl!!), the individuals who cleaned up shop and of course the players. The strength that we have together is so exciting to see and if this camp is anything to go by, 2020 is going to be the year of the Roy.
BBQ & bowls to see in Season 2020 - you're invited!
Fitzroy’s season launch will be a casual affair with a competitive element as members, fans and families are invited to join players and coaches for some friendly lawn bowls and a barbie.
Games for all teams will be played across BSO and Ramsden St before the club gathers to wrap up the day at the Bowls Club.
Team mixed bowls will be coordinated on the evening, for those keen to play. A BBQ will be available for a light dinner for $10 and drinks will be at the Bowls Club’s very
reasonable prices.
Come down and meet the men’s and women’s playing groups and coaches and mix in a relaxed
environment and try your hand at a game or two of casual bowls.
More details coming in the next Red Roy.
Membership month - last week to win!
Membership Month wraps up next week! Now is the time to sign up, renew or recruit your friends and family to be in the running for our excellent prize pack!
Our members are the lifeblood of our club and community and membership sales go a long way to sustaining that.
We're always on the lookout for new members and to bring new people into our vibrant and inclusive community. It's good being a Roy!
So if you're already signed up, but might know someone who is ready to come on board, flick them this email and they could also be in the running for our Membership Month prize!
All members that are signed up be the end of February, 2020 will be in running to win this wonderful prize pack!
2020 Membership Month Prize Pack:
- A FFC polo shirt
- A choice of either a FFC cap or beanie
- A $50 Bontempo voucher
And fear not if you got in early. If you already have your membership for this year, you’ll go into the draw too.
Over time we've witnessed important sporting moments that have broken boundaries, smashed gender biases and changed society forever.
Now we’re asking Fitzroy supporters to again take centre stage in rewriting history.
As you’re no doubt aware, the Women’s T20 WC is here in Australia and later this month the MCG will host the final on International Women’s Day, Sunday 8 March.
Our Edinburgh Gardens Sporting Community partner, the Edinburgh Cricket Club, has invited
Fitzroy supporters to play our part as Melbourne attempts to fill the MCG for ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final and smash the record for the highest attendance at a women's sporting event!
You’ll not only help make history, but for every ticket booked using this link, Edinburgh Cricket Club will score $5.00 to support women’s cricket at the local level. How fantastic.
C’mon Roys - let's get behind this fabulous initiative to put women’s sport well and truly on the world map!
Fitzroy FC at ACU O-Week
We were down at ACU Sport earlier this week for O-Week chatting to students about playing for and getting involved with the mighty Roys!
It was a great day to be on the ACU campus and part of the ACU Sport O-Week festivities.
If you missed us there and want some info on how to be part of out great club - head here. There are plenty of ways you can be involved and part of our wonderful community.
Have you got your Roys gear for 2020!
It's nearly time to take off the hoodie and switch to the polo shirt!
Membership Month wraps up next week! Now is the time to sign up, renew or recruit your friends and family to be in the running for our excellent prize pack!
