The Adelaide University Soccer Club began in 1935. Read about our proud history…
In 1935 the Second Division of the SA Soccer Association played its first round of league games on Saturday 27th April. The University – and probably (Goodwood) Otiose – joined the Division two weeks later on the 11th May. I find that “otiose” is an obscure English word meaning “pointless, idle, etc.” My theory is that Otiose Boys Club was a euphemistic name for an organisation that attempted to keep unemployed aimless youth out of mischief during the economic depression of the 1930’s. Soccer would have been one of several available activities run. (Ron Roberts)
1935 was the first year of actual Soccer played by a University team in the local competition, but it was 1936 was a year in which hopes were gaining on many fronts. Those in the University (only one then) who were keen on playing Soccer (then a game that most people ignored in SA) managed to form a Soccer Club in the University and was accepted as an affiliate of the AUSA at their Annual General Meeting on March 26th 1936; actual title at that time was ‘Adelaide University Association Football Club’. The Club was associated with the South Australian British Football Association. The next four years show the Club involved in matches with other clubs associated with the SABFA, never sparkling but producing one or two top players, including Ian J Evans 11 state games for SA and 1 National game for Australia v India (University & SA) played at wing-half for Australia when it beat India 3-1 in the ‘Fifth Test’ at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday 1st October 1938. It was his only appearance in a national team. Players from outside NSW and Qld were very rarely chosen in those days.
The highlight of this early time was being SABFA Division 2 Runners Up in 1937 and thus being promoted to Division 1 for 1938, and the Pozza Cup Winners of 1937 initially after coming back from 0.2 down at half time v Otiose to draw 2.2 and then win 1.0 in the replay the following week.
Then came 1939 and World War II. The SA Association closed its activities for the duration, but there were some friendly games between those who were available. Then came the worst blow; the Association’s main ground, the Jubilee Oval on Frome Road opposite the Dental Hospital and north of the Jubilee Building of the then SA School of Mines and Industries, became the site of slit trenches for scholars of the School and of the Adelaide Technical High School which was part of it. I was one of them. And the Oval was used for other groups also, and as a result it became useless as an oval. It is now the site of University Engineering Faculty buildings.
In 1946 the Club was revived as was Club Soccer in the State, or at least in Adelaide and suburbs. Pre-war Clubs, or most of them, tried to form teams again but most of them only lasted a year or two. At the end of this time new interest was rising; migrants were being encouraged to come to Australia to find a new life, and most came from the UK and then Europe and their only football codes were Soccer and Rugby, but the latter did not secure as much support as the former. The result was that the various groups of migrants naturally joined into national blocs and began to play the game they knew. The State Association welcomed them and over the next few years there were teams representing Britain, Italy, Greece, Malta, Serbia, Croatia and others and interest grew. The Game saw more divisions available for teams to join and it seems that that move has not yet stopped. And with the increase in interest the standard grew, and that move seems not to have stopped either
Unfortunately hatreds from the past of some of these countries came to the surface during games, and in the end the Association required clubs to do away with names of countries as their club name where there had been fighting.
The University Club started slowly and with only just enough members to fill the two teams that had been registered; indeed it was not unusual in the first year at least and sometimes in the second year for the second team to be playing short by up to 3 players – any fewer meant a forfeit and there were some of them too. Initially the ‘A’ team was in the first division, but in the second year we were put down to the second division where we were more level with the other teams we played. Although we never reached the top, we gave other teams a real game when we met. And the influx of players who were brought up in the game came to have an effect on the size of the club, in the way we played and the standard of our play. As the State Association grew so did we, and the number of teams we were able to put on the field each week grew, so that today we have more teams than were ever thought possible in 1946. No doubt the growing popularity of the game in Australia and in the State helped in this regard. I have to be a little hazy about these years because I was chasing a round ball on icy fields elsewhere.
Other universities also had their teams and in 1947 Sydney and Melbourne were both asked to and did send teams to the first post-war Intervarsity, and the following year Melbourne was the host. In 1949 Sydney was the host but Adelaide was unable to make it because of a wide railway workers strike. These Matches have continued and have proved very popular with those who can go.
Grounds were always a problem for the first few years. There was really only one ground that could be called ours – it was on the edge of the University Oval by Frome Road near the Albert Bridge. It was not always that the ground would be well marked out, and it was standard practice for the team playing at home to put up the nets and the flags and return them to the Oval Grandstand after the game. A number of games were played on Parklands grounds which were the home grounds of quite a few of the other teams in the competition, and the condition of some of these, often with uncut grass and weeds, that made games quite “interesting!” to say the least.
It would be wrong of me not to record the great support the Club received from the Adelaide University Sports Association over its growing time, and also the understanding of the State Association in those years. Without both of these avenues of support the Club would not have grown as it did nor reach the standard it is today, but someone else will fill in the years between then and now, years in which I was unable to keep much contact with the Club for a number of reasons.
– Reg Casling
AUSA Blues Winner, AUSC Life Member, former AUSC Chairperson and SASF Meritorious Service Winner
Wilf Geisler, from the School of Mines initiated the notice, and since I had played soccer during my last year of primary school at Glenelg and had enjoyed it much more than Australian Rules football, I signed up. I contacted Wilf and together we put out a few more notices and gradually more students became interested and we were able to organise some kick-arounds. That year in 1946 we entered the South Australian Soccer Association and began playing proper matches.
Unfortunately we were not very good, and Bob Donaldson a Physiotherapist student who was our Goal keeper was kept very busy. We lost every match in our first year.
In 1947 our committee which I was apart of contacted Melbourne University soccer team and the first post-war intervarsity match was arranged. In August 1947 we set off on the Melbourne express. a night train in those days. I did not think any of us slept that night. I remember that I lay on the floor between the feet of those in seats. We played 3 matches I believe, and again lost them all. So Melbourne University won the first Intervarsity.
The year after in 1948 we had enough members for two teams, Division 2 and 4 and our committee put me in charge of the B team. We played regular district matches, as did the A team, we did not win any, or if any we may have only won one or two! Intervarsity was again won by Melbourne University which was joined by Sydney University and AUSC and was played again in Melbourne.
I cannot remember the details of the following year – I think AUSC played Melbourne University in Adelaide, the usual result occurred with Melbourne now retaining the Cup for perpetuity with its third consecutive win! Reverting to local matches – for probably two years we played our home matches on a ground in the North parklands, on the corner of Barton Terrace and Jeffcott Street. Then the University allowed us the to play on a ground associated with the University Ovals just across Frome Road from the Main Oval (now called the Graduates Oval) It was wonderful to have our own home ground and being a University ground it was kept in immaculate condition for us.
One thing of amusement for me – our second team was playing Cumberland Park on the South parklands. I was at centre-half and the centre forward for Cumberland Park was George Topperwein, who was several inches taller than I. Needless to say I was getting nowhere in opposition to him. However on one occasion, a ball was coming straight at us a bit above head height, just as he was about to head it somewhere, I shot my fist up and punched the ball away. Of course it was a handball and he received a free – but to this day, 60 years later, I remember the look on George’s face as my fist shoot up past his nose and the amazement he expressed are unforgettable!
– Bruce Napier
The over 35’s would continue with 6 teams (e.g. Austria, Azzurri, Beograd, Nomads, Sturt, and University). In addition, A new division based on a minimum age of 45 would commence with 4 teams (e.g. Beograd, Noarlunga, Nomads and University) The AU Sports Association would be happy to provide a sixth pitch so that all games can be played at the same time.
The proposal assumes that the formation of the new division will bring back a number of older players who have dropped out since the commencement of the Veterans League. It also assumes that Beograd, Nomads and University will be able to find an organizer for each team. Older players who formerly played for Austria, Azzurri, Sturt, or Polonia will be encouraged to join one of the four over-45 teams. It is envisaged that some players who are over 45 may still prefer to play in the younger division, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t. The names of the 4 over-45 teams could be different from the existing teams. The lengths of the halves could be 35 minutes instead of 40 minutes, and generally it would operate very much as a social league (for example, 13 year old sons, or even grandsons, might be allowed to make up numbers so long as no one objected).
The formation of two veterans divisions should attract more players into both. Younger players who are not yet ready to transfer from a fully competitive league to a social league would find the over-35 division a suitable transition. Older players would be happier to play in a truly social atmosphere. (Two over-45 games could precede the Cup Final on 15 Sept.)
– Tony Winefield
27th June 1985
There North Adelaide Junior Colts was born!
Well we eventually found our way to kicking the balls at University by training at Park 9 at Gilberton, then one day we were asked if we had enough guys to form a team to be Adelaide University Under 14s as they( the first team) needed a Junior team to be associated with the Federation. Well we began hunting the neighbourhood looking for anyone who could kick a ball and was under 14. We had just enough to form a team and that’s where we began.
We had to all get our own gear which we ended up with white T shirts, because most guys had one, and get our Mums to sew on a number or write it on. Our first season was a BIG learning curve for us, as we were competing with very established clubs like Juventus (Adelaide City) Azzurri, Beograd, etc. They had all the right facilities, not to mention uniforms.
Our first coach was Ron Roberts I think, Reece Jones came on the scene later. In the first season as novices, we were pretty much pumped every game. I remember our first match was against Campbelltown City and we lost 9-0. We were pretty proud of the fact that we kept them to single figures!
After the season was completed we lost every match, scored only 3 goals (with my over aged brother Gino scoring 2) and conceded 140 goals! I was the goalkeeper, and I remember our biggest defeat was 24-0 against Juventus at Olympic Sports Field which seemed like the Colosseum to all of us, but we still enjoyed playing in a team even though we kept getting flogged!
In our second meeting against Juventus we did improve at home losing 17-2, but we were proud of the fact that we were the only team to score 2 goals against them that year!!!
Fast forward 3 years and we did improve from our first season. The one BIG thrill for all of us was that we had to play Juventus in a Cup round, we had mostly the same boys and they had pretty much the same team if not better, but we caused the biggest boil over in Junior soccer, as we beat Juventus and knocked them out of the Cup 2-1.
I remember about 9 of us piling into Reece Jones Morris Minor after the match to go home (as we were all too young to drive), and 2 of the boys were in the boot of the car, opening the boot at the traffic lights and screaming out that we won!!!! We were so happy that after being thrashed by Juventus in our first season, we finally knocked the BIG gun out of the Cup! It was amazing we didn’t get into trouble with the Police!!!
We made it all the way to the Cup Final, but lost 4-1. (Can’t remember who the team was) Well after the Under 16 team we were all too old to play in the junior’s, and we all went our separate ways! I went and played for Enfield Victoria then later USC Lion as the goalkeeper, Helmut Kopp also went to Enfield Victoria and others either played in lower leagues or simple stopped playing!
I will say that all the goalkeeping practice I got with North Adelaide Colts, improved my goalkeeping in later years!
– Dominic Rinaldo
Until 1965, when the Sunday Industrial Soccer League (the embryonic SA Amateur Soccer League) was established for those who wished to play on a Sunday, any new soccer club that wanted to play regular competition matches in the greater Adelaide area had no choice but to join the SA Soccer Federation (or its predecessor Associations). As well as suburban teams, this included those from the likes of Mannum, Tailem Bend, and Murray Bridge – they had no choice.
Essentially, for decades sport had only been played on Saturday afternoons, and the SASF had always done so. SA society reflected the view of the Christian churches that insisted Sunday should be a sacrosanct day of rest. The efflux of time, accelerated by the flood of post-war migrants who were accustomed to a quite different recreational Sunday in Europe, steadily modified the old attitude and the Sunday competitions of the SAASL developed rapidly.
This 1960s decade coincided with the AUSC expanding from fielding two teams to six teams, and the formation of teams at Flinders University and the Teacher’s Colleges. SASF administrators had always recognized the importance of teachers and professional men in developing the sport, and warmly encouraged this development.
To develop these new teams into viable clubs, an infant Metropolitan League was set up for the 1971 season. Management of the Metropolitan League was modelled on that of the SASF Third Division Management Committee. It was also represented as Saturday Amateurs on the Management Committee of the SAASL, so the competition had the official backing of both bodies.
The initial 1971 competition comprised teams from Adelaide University, Graduates, SA Institute of Technology, Salisbury Teacher’s College, Flinders University and the Malaysia Singapore Students Association. There were insufficient official referees and most games were refereed by volunteers from the AUSC such as Bill Devine, Tony Winefield, Reg Casling and Eric Shropshire. They filled out SAASL match cards marked ‘Saturday Amateurs’.
The main obstacle against continuing this experiment in the following season was the problem of player registration. Clubs with teams in the SASF Third Division and Reserves needed to be able to move players between their teams, and they insisted that all players continue to be registered with the SASF. (The two teams that AUSC fielded in the Sunday competitions of the SAASL were registered with that body, and not the SASF.)
In 1972 the league was being regarded in a new light. It was reported that it was “administered on behalf of the SASF, with a view to creating a Fourth Division of the SASF in 1973. New teams seeking affiliation with the SASF will have to serve a probation period in this Division before they can apply for the Third Division”.
From 1973 the league included student tertiary teams from Adelaide University, Graduates, Flinders University, SAIT, Italian Students, Malaysian Students, Greek Students, Aquinas College, several CAEs (formerly called Teacher’s Colleges), Elizabeth West HOS, as well as occasional third teams from established clubs like WT Birkalla or Orange-Sturt, and new clubs like Woodville District and Royal Park.
Such was the dominance of the Metro League by the student teams that Martin Pearce of AUSC proposed the formation of an independent student tertiary league as early as the 1975 season. His aims were “to define the status of the Metro League more accurately, and to promote soccer to the best advantage in the tertiary institutions”.
In 1979 the SASF Third Division was renamed Metropolitan League Division 1, and by now each club, including Adelaide University, Flinders University and SAIT, had to have a set of First, Reserve and Junior Teams, which made for very “tidy” fixtures.
The predominantly student league became Metropolitan League 2. The ‘flavour’ of the Metropolitan League Divisions 1 and 2 had become increasingly disparate. It was virtually impossible for a Division 2 club of any ilk to achieve promotion.
From the 1981 season, with the amicable support of the SASF, Martin Pearce and Roy Hetherington of AUSC developed the independent Collegiate League from the Metropolitan League Division 2.
Into the 1980s the SASF clubs were seeking to develop themselves into a more ‘sophisticated’ semi-professional body, and they wished to shed their weakest clubs. The University clubs were seen to be particularly irrelevant in their plans.
For 1984 the SASF decided to limit its membership to twenty four ‘elite’, clubs in two divisions. The SAASL agreed to administer the seven clubs remaining from what had been the Metropolitan League Div 1 (formerly the Third Division) and some additional club teams as its Saturday Amateur League.
– Ron Roberts (7/1/2011)
AUSC Life Member, FFSA Chairman and SASF Meritorious Service Winner
20 years later, things were starting to take off nationally – although money, as always, was scarce. At one point the Matildas famously posed nude for a fundraising calendar, a move which raised interest in – if not respect for – the sport.
(Adelaide Uni players have been known to get their kit off at various University Games; unfortunately they never made much money).
By the beginning of this century, women’s soccer was the fastest growing sport in the country. It still is.
At the University of Adelaide, it’s been a wild ride.
The nature of a Uni team means that there is a high turnover – while other clubs might hold on to their team members for a decade, plenty of Uni players don’t even stay for the duration of their degree.
In the mid-90s, there was a changing of the guard. Many of the wildly talented older women left, and a bunch of hard-drinking young things moved in.
They quickly acclimatised to the club culture. They smoked. They swore. They were known to occasionally throw up on the sidelines because of their excesses.
But they were passionate, not completely talentless, and many of the core players – such as the Hudson sisters – stuck around for years. The Div 2 team eventually won a Premiership and went up to the Premier League where they received a fairly consistent drubbing.
In those days the most famous club was the Hairy Armpits, trophies looked like men with little boobs and ponytails stuck on as an afterthought, and the population at large still thought women playing soccer was pretty weird.
Things are changing, slowly, but Adelaide Uni has long been the most progressive club. Many players have left for other pitches, but most of them came back eventually, or wished they could. There’s an enduring comradeship, and a sense that there is a place for everyone.
Now, the club is new again, despite a couple of those old farts from the mid-90s still hanging around.
There are more women who have played since they were girls; who play a mature game by the time they’re 20. Kevin Holohan has worked hard to provide a sense of club unity, and to make sure Adelaide Uni – and particularly the women’s teams – are much better organised than ever before.
World Cups and Asian Cups and the Olympics will continue to generate interest in the sport for men and women, and the surge in the number of high school teams means the future of women’s soccer is as bright as some of those fluoro orange away strips.
So, a third of a century after Adelaide Uni’s first women’s team started, women’s soccer is well and truly established; we have more teams, more welcoming clubs, and much better hair.
– Victoria Shepherd
In the days when Women’s soccer was a new and slowly growing sport we were excited to be involved and have the opportunity to play at the highest level possible. It was a time when we not only played but had to organise the club, be on the SAWSA committee and be the state representatives at the Australian Women’s Soccer Nationals Championships.
Dinamo had players but no ground; Adelaide Uni Dynamo had plenty of grounds but needed players. So we united to become Dinamo Uni with 2 teams. We kept the blue shorts and socks from Dinamo and the red top from Adelaide University. We didn’t have to pay for the use of the grounds or the lighting but we had to pay for registrations, strips and balls. We had the sausage sizzle and sold cans of soft drink at our home games and of course the occasional fundraiser.
History shows we had a very successful team- the team other clubs would love to beat (not that they did that very often). To score just one goal against us was often their best achievement. We had the expectation that if we played anywhere near our best we would win.
We expected to always be in Cup finals that we would always be the main contenders to win or at least be runners up in the league- we set the benchmark. Adelaide College were our greatest rivals during this period- although we were fierce competitors on the pitch but shared good friendship off the pitch.
Many players from other clubs wanted to be a part of our successful teams, our club, to share that success and camaraderie.
Cup final day was always a great time. To help set the mood for the day we would organise breakfast for all players at someone’s home and hire a bus so we could all travel together to the ground. A daunting sight for opposition teams when we arrived at the ground- even when we started playing finals at Hindmarsh Stadium. Of course we would all join in the celebration afterwards.
Families and friends would come to watch us every week. The niece of one of our great players would wear her special top with number 3 proudly displayed on the back. We had many players who represented the state in the National Championships and some went on to represent Australia, which was a proud achievement for the club and set the benchmark for other players to aspire to achieving those goals.
It was a wonderful time and remembered fondly and proudly by all those involved.
– Ann Sergeant
AUSC and SAWSA Life Member
Photos:
Dinamo Uni Division One team 1983, pictured back, from left, Sonja Martens, Terry Fitzgerald, Ronnie Bratton, Sue Bradshaw, Heather Young, Lani Gibbs, Mary Bratton, Enio Rossi (coach), front, Janice Playford, Mary Fabris, Kathy Hughes, Moya Dodd, Nicki?, Jill Latimer, Ann Sergeant.
Dinamo Uni Division One team 1985, from back left, Amanda ‘Nugget’ ?, Sue Bradshaw, Terry Fitzgerald, Denise ?, Heather Young, Toni ?, Ann Sergeant, front, Moya Dodd, Arlene Moncrieff, Sonja Martens, Jill Latimer, Maria ?.
SA State team for the 1986 National Championships played in SA at Para Hills Soccer Club grounds. Dinamo-Uni representatives at that time were: Players-Sue Bradshaw, Arlene Moncrieff (player/Assistant Coach), Moya Dodd, Jill Latimer (Captain). Official / Team Manager – Ann Sergeant
(5 a-side Soccer or the Stars’ other War!)
Once upon a time in a galaxy, err gym not so far away, indoor soccer played the beautiful game most beautifully. Star warriors, storm troopers, bounty hunters and Jedi knights from the dark side… er… Winter competition came into the light, warm surrounds of the Unigym, no rain, no wind, no mud, no Coaches and just enjoyed themselves whilst staying fit!
That was until the galaxy err gym had to be sold to save the universe err University from imploding. After a millennium of indoor sports at the Mackinnon Parade Unigym the universe, err, University was again short sighted and cash strapped, in the red and despite numerous attempts including going to meet the various owners as the Unigym was regularly sold on at a greater price, it was too late, the force was not with us and the galaxy, err, gym was left to slowly fade away (taking 8 years to finally be knocked down!! (Whilst the various employees and owners played indoor soccer whenever they wanted!).
A galactic black hole of recrimination visible at every training year after year to the assorted homeless star warriors banished to remain outside to sweat and ponder what if? More pain to those clubs who used the venue as their only home and now pay to use other venues, without an identity or a place to call their own.
The former Unigym on MacKinnon Parade must have easily been the best indoor soccer venue in Adelaide. A full size basketball stadium with upstairs seating / viewing area along one side and completely smooth wood panelled walls all around (courtesy of indoor lacrosse) It was ideal for modified FA rules, a large fluffy tennis ball, a goal exclusion zone, low wide goals, continuous play off the walls and no ball above shoulder height (or the ref’s shoulder height, ok!)
Probably from the early 80’s onwards a few AUSC players gathered for casual games on the weekends, then perhaps from the mid 80’s onwards in the off season from October to March a regular league was organised on Wednesday evenings for ten teams. The teams came mainly from the CSL and the Amateurs plus random combinations – rivalries from the winter competition continued and many new ones were established. Also a number of promising players were scouted and recruited at indoor and joined playing with the Uni teams in the winter competition.
Unfortunately after nearly 40 years the Unigym was sold, closed, slowly abused and ultimately destroyed and many Adelaide University sports teams lost an invaluable resource. And so at the end of December 2003 the summer indoor soccer competition ceased after nearly 20 years of regular competition!
– Dr William Hill
AUSC and AUSA Life Member
During the late 1970’s the South Australian Soccer Federation (SASF) ran the Metropolitan League partly as a recruiting ground for new teams to enter the SASF main league. The Adelaide University Soccer Club (AUSC) entered a number of teams in the Metropolitan League, some for competitive purposes, with the aim of winning the competition and entering the SASF main league, whilst other teams played for purely recreational and social purposes.
In 1979 and 1980 the SASF Board set about placing the SASF League on a more professional footing. The diversion of resources towards tertiary institutions was no longer consistent with SASF aims. Therefore the SASF supported the Collegiate League when it formed as a separate entity (from the SASF League) in 1981. The aims were to cater better for the particular needs of the tertiary institutions and to create opportunities for teams of old collegians. The Collegiate League was affiliated to the SASF and the support of the Referees Association was also gained. The inaugural Chairman was Martyn Pearce.
Support of the tertiary institutions and the public and private secondary school sectors was solicited to form the inaugural teams of the Collegiate League.
There were eleven inaugural teams. Representing AUSC were old collegian teams of Graduates Grey (so named because of player vintage – these players later participated in the “Veterans League” 1982) and Graduates Red, student teams Uni Black, Blue, White, Association of Greek University students of Adelaide (AGUA) and staff team “Dons”. Other tertiary-based teams were from Adelaide College (a Teachers College, located at the current Scott Theatre site) and the South Australian Institute of Technology (now University of South Australia – Mawson Lakes) Inaugural old collegian teams from secondary school sector from Rostrevor College and St Peter’s College. Prince Alfred joined in 1982.
– Martyn Pearce
26/01/2011
The inaugural Chairman was Martyn Pearce who was the former Chairman of the Metropolitan League Management Committee and was the architect of the separation from SASF and the organisation of the CSL as well as soliciting the support of tertiary institutions and the public and private secondary schools to nominate inaugural teams of the CSL.
AUSC teams played at West Beach – a very good set of pitches on a sand base with no drainage problems even in very heavy rain. There were eleven founding teams from five clubs. Thus this unique league came about because of a fortuitous combination of circumstances which allowed “Universities”, tertiary institutes and colleges to take independent control of their own soccer league and subject to the rules of affiliation with the SASF, could manage their own affairs and finances autonomously. In 1990 those AUSC teams moved back to the University Ovals, the “Zoo” grounds, after 20 years in 2012 it will hopefully be back to West Beach for some if not all teams on some level!
The CSL ran traditional divisions with Championship Cups plus the League wide Collegiate Cup (the original Cup donated by John Roe of St Peters OCSC was run over, an updated one was donated by Michael Hihimanis – CSL Chairman of 15 years in 2008) Over the years the League grew steadily experimenting with various ways of running the competition and always looking for more eligible clubs.
In the later 80’s and early 90’s some of the strongest clubs moved to the South Australian Amateur Soccer League (SAASL), first CBC (now Bosa), then St Peters OCSC then Old Ignatians followed. Some of these clubs then still fielded third teams in the CSL. Whilst from the beginning the AUSC Blacks / Amateurs and Flinders University were founding members of the SAASL Saturday Division in 1984, after finally leaving the SASF Divisions after the 1983 season.
This eventually led to questions of player eligibility – the CSL view was that an honour system should apply if a player was returning from injury or dropped from the Amateur team he could play in the CSL team rather than not play at all that weekend. Of course this unofficial honour system precluded the use of amateur players to assist in getting a better result – also displacing the player who would have usually played in that team. However, our friends at the Amateur League (SAASL), who shared our philosophy of democratic management and running on a shoe-string budget to keep the costs of playing soccer to a minimum. On this count insisted on the absolute protocol of only being registered in one League at a time and having appropriate documentation for officially transferring to another League and after June 30th no further transfers.
Clubs found that if there were not enough players to field a CSL team autonomously then it was easier to consolidate all players in one League and that of course for many was to be the SAASL. The CSL subsequently lost Flinders University teams, OCSC and probably Old Ignatians OCSC for the same reason.
Another contentious point was the National registration and fees. In the early 90’s the CSL Council of Clubs enthusiastically endorsed the concept of the grassroots supporting the National teams and volunteered to pay the levy. It was paid for over a number of years, and then the CSL voted to stop paying it because the promised feedback on its use was not forthcoming, it was also increased without consultation and there were doubts about where the money ended up!
In the late 90’s the Australian Soccer Federation (and the SASF) had its own problems and slowly faded away to be replaced following the Federal Governments Crawford Report – replaced by the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) and the Football Federation South Australia (FFSA) who were unaware of our existence for a period of time.
Once we were rediscovered the question of which League to affiliate with arose. The CSL worry was that of losing our independence which had been fiercely guarded over the many years, and our constitutional restriction on membership base of Universities, tertiary institutions and colleges precluded opening the league to clubs not so based, like a former Metropolitan League!!
The issue of affiliation was eventually forced on the CSL – essentially to guarantee the provision of referees. The negotiations to get the best deal were lengthy and the CSL eventually became an affiliated body with the FFSA in 2009 – national player registration mandatory, but AU teams exempt from the insurance fee / scheme as ours is better. The FFSA affiliation is subject to review at the end of 2010 – negotiations over the best deal doubtlessly proceeding and no doubt a cost increase!
The CSL has always had a strong competition, only the best and most consistent teams having more than transient success. At the very beginning the Grads Red had League and Cup victories, the Uni Blacks playing 3rd/ 5th/ or 7th teams away from SAASL teams struggled, the Uni Blues had several years of success in the early 90’s, the Uni Dodgers went well in the 3rd (A2) Division for several years and in the late 90’s the Uni Whites won the League and Cup titles on several occasions.
The 2010 competition saw the completion of the 30th Season of the CSL and the 30th Anniversary at the start of next year 2011 – this unique League continues to thrive, now having 17 clubs (5 in 1981) with 52 teams (11 in 1981) Adelaide University SC fielding 10 teams with the AUSC Blacks (4), AUSC Grads Blue (1), AUSC Grads Red (2) and AUSC Uni Whites (3) – three being founding members (Grads Red, Uni Black, and Uni White) with the hope of adding further teams as ground availability enables.
– Dr William Hill
February 2011
An AUSC White History
– Dr William Hill
When I returned from the UK in ’77 I found the remaining players from the former Sunday league teams had returned to playing Saturdays, in part because of ongoing recruiting problems.
They had formed one of the expansion teams in the metropolitan league, away from the mainstream Uni Soccer A’s and B’s. Their player/manager/organiser was Klaus Czabania.
It was necessary to have a colour designation because of the other expansion teams of Adelaide Uni Soccer and we became “The Whites.” The others were Blues, Greens, Reds, Blacks and Graduates as well.
In the late ’70s, increasing dissatisfaction with the evident lack of interest in the lower levels of the Federation led to the move to form a separate league. This was successfully negotiated with the formation of our own soccer league, an affiliate of the SA Soccer Federation but autonomous and with its own constitution. The Collegiate Soccer League began in 1980 with the Whites as a founding member.
Following the retirement of Klaus in ’79 I became the organiser of the Whites and had the usual problem of a single team: ongoing recruitment.
From the late ’70s, through the ’80s into to the early ’90s, we didn’t train as a team. Those who wanted to, joined other Uni teams such as the Amateurs on Uni Oval. Games were played at “home” at West Beach on the flight path. They were good grounds, on sand so drainage was never a problem, and a choice of five or so pitches to share with other teams.
During the ’80s we had some outstanding players:
- Tony Hooi: Centre Forward / Dentist
- Steve Hemming: Striker / Anthropologist
- Tery & Norm Swan: Sweepers
- Frank Lancione: Keeper / Lawyer
- Peter Heinrick: Midfielder / Lawyer
- Ken & Alan Teo: Who learnt their soccer playing rugby in New Zealand
- Malcolm Bell: Striker / Medico
- Peter Hay: Defender
- Jonny Moriarty: Winger / Aboriginal activist, government bureaucrat and with his mate Charlie Perkins played soccer for Australia
We had a lot of fun playing soccer in the ’80s, occasionally having great success but never going to the top of the league or better than a semi-final in the cup. In 1983 after a 4-2 quarter final victory over the league champions and cup holders CBC, we were one up against Rostrevor early in the game, missed a sitter five minutes later and lost 3-1 in that semi-final.
The end of the ’80s signalled a change in fortune for the Whites. Despite new players getting harder to find, we then all moved back to the Uni Ovals, and relinquished the West Beach grounds. This made it easier to attract players as we had the first ground off the footbridge and midweek training as a squad could begin.
In ’90 and ’91 the Whites began the rebuilding that in less than 10 years led them to dominate the Collegiate League. Con Papadopalos and Chris Pazios then Denis were joined by Edgar and Armin Mayer with Heysen Struger as goalkeeper.
We had a setback in the ’91 season when Windsor Gardens did a ‘payback’ for a tackle on their centre forward and broke Edgar’s ankle, putting him out for eight weeks. But he was back and even batter for the ’92 season… Topping Div 2 – the last game of the year, a memorable 7-2 victory over Mercedes at their schoolground, Edgar scoring five and Denis almost impassable as usual.
’93 we went to two teams and then added, over the next two years, players who would team up to make the Glamour Team of the mid to late ’90s. Alex Ask, Steve Thornett, Leo Chandiok, Tony Duffy and Steve Bresolin making up for the loss of Edgar Mayer, the goal scoring machine of ’91 and ’92.
In the ’93 season the A’s lost only one game (to St Peters) and later on that year on the same day A’s and B’s were knocked out of the cup by St Peters (A’s) and Uni Blue A (B’s) after the B’s had them down 1-0 for about 80 minutes.
In ’95 we took out the Preseason Carnival Cup and polished our skills for the rest of the year. In ’96 we won the Collegiate Cup. In ’97 we bided our time and in ’98 took the League and Cup double.
For some years, across the end of the century and millennium, the Whites dominated the CSL, expecting to win every game, top the league and take the Cup. There were still many close games with traditional rivals which we usually won!
The outstanding players were goalie’s Steve Bresolin and then Danny Aikin, sweeper Robbie Alberton, stopper Simon Ward after Jan Pfitzner, midfield: the evergreen Armin Mayer, and up front ably assisted by Richie Coburn, the best centre forward in the league for ten years: Steve Thornett. Around these players were 15 or 20 others in the teams over the years – these however were outstanding in their contributions.
The other outstanding contribution over the years from ’95 to ’04 (with a year away in ’97 in UK for family reasons) was made by John Whitehouse. He committed to coaching/organising the A’s and with assistance, the B’s, over that period – pushing hard to make the team better and better; elated with each victory and crushed by defeats of “his” team and then returning during the week to grind out two training nights all winter to get those better results on Saturday.
He’s now returned to the UK and the Uni Whites have moved into the second half of the first decade of the 21st century – rebuilding – training two nights a week and trying to play the beautiful game a little better and move from midtable back to the top. A new coach… new players… skills training… need to get a little bit tougher in attitude on the pitch… all the usual aspirations of our soccer players for the next decades of Uni White… this isn’t it!
Coaching history
| Year | Senior Coach | B’s | C’s | D’s | E’s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Steve Bresolin | Alex Tsirbas Ollie Smith |
Souk Douangphoumy | John Whitehouse | John Whitehouse |
| 2017 | Steve Bresolin | Chris Gayen | George Joannou | Matt Bate Kirsten Staff |
Ryan Harrowfield Michael Williams |
| 2016 | John Zinghini | Alan Evans Adam Pedron |
Kirsten Staff Patrick Ries Santos |
Steve Bresolin | |
| 2015 | Scott Penfold | Alan Evans | Matt Hawyes | Steve Bresolin | |
| 2014 | Chris Gayen | Anthony Venditto | Matt Hawyes | Steve Bresolin | |
| 2013 | Kevin Holohan | Richard Harris | Chris Haralam Matt Hawyes |
Steve Bresolin | |
| 2012 | James Balacco | James Balacco | Tim Levett | Steve Bresolin | |
| 2011 | James Balacco | Chris Haralam | Tim Levett | Steve Bresolin | |
| 2010 | Bill Barbari Robin Goldfinch |
Robin Goldfinch | Chris Haralam | ||
| 2009 | Robin Goldfinch | Robin Goldfinch | |||
| 2008 | Robin Goldfinch | Juan Pablo Livore | |||
| 2007 | Jim Muir | Eric Priebe | |||
| 2006 | Graeme Jackson | Leo Chandiok | |||
| 2005 | Graeme Jackson | Armin Mayer | |||
| 2003-04 | John Whitehouse | Graeme Jackson | |||
| 2002 | John Whitehouse | Michael Williams | |||
| 2000-01 | John Whitehouse | Graeme Jackson | |||
| 1997-99 | John Whitehouse | John Whitehouse | |||
| 1996 | Jan Pfitzner | Bill Hill | |||
| 1995 | Dennis Kraaijenbrink | Bill Hill | |||
At the end of 2003, training and recruiting began for a possible Junior Girls team for AUSC, then at the beginning of 2004 John Peppas gathered together a group of 8 and 9 year old girls who commenced pre-season training as the inaugural Adelaide University Soccer Club junior team.
There was no official competition for girls of that age, and so the girls competed in the U13 competition. The girls did so without trepidation, but for their parents, the opposing teams looked like giants, and more than one parent was heard to ask whether we should call for a driver’s licence check.
The first game began well, with the opposing team scoring a goal, and Uni responding with a goal. The opposing team however went on to score 22 more goals, and the Uni goal was to be the only one for the entire season. The Uni defence operated on the “magnetic ball” system initially but gradually some early signs of structure developed. To his credit, John was supportive, and encouraging, and the girls were both courageous and determined. As the season went on the losing margins shrank, and the final game, considered a disaster by the opposing team, and a triumph by the Uni girls, was a 1 nil loss to Sturt-Marion.
In the second season the defensive tactics continued, and one opposing player was heard to describe the girls who were making it so difficult to get to the goals, as a “swarm of annoying mosquitoes”. The persistence paid off, goals were coming at the other end, and the team climbed off the foot of the ladder, if only just.
In the 2005 season an U11 competition was established, and the girls, hardened by the U13 campaigns of earlier years, and under the encouragement of coach Tony Fletcher, and the rigorous skills training of Drago Kljajic, went through the season undefeated, and with a goal difference of + 80 in their favour. By 2006 the team returned to the U13 competition, and the junior club had expanded to two U13 teams, and an up and coming U11 team, and then the following year, in 2007 were joined by an U9 team with the U13A team coached by Jamie McKenzie, making the semi-finals of the Cup competition.
In 2008 the junior club expanded to teams in 4 age groups, U9 through U15, but there were difficulties in coaching availability and consistency, and some concerns about the future direction of the juniors. A crisis meeting prior to the following season produced a new style of management, coordinated by Kevin Holohan and a group of parents, and led to the engaging of Tracey Jenkins as head Junior coach for the 2009 season. Tracey re-established the playing of structured football, and laid down the law and the groundwork for the 2010 season.
2010 was a stellar season for the junior club. By the time of the pre-season grading matches, the club was ready to field 2 U15 teams, 2 U13 teams, and a team in the U11 and U9 competitions. The U15A team performed so strongly that the coach was asked to play the team in the U17A competition. The club agreed to that challenge, after considerable debate, although the girls remained in the U15 Cup competition. Once the season began, again the parents were debating asking for ID, but this time to see if the opposing girls were on the electoral roll.
The U15A team, with some U15B players stepping up when called on, won the U15 FFSA pre-season tournament, and came second in the U17A League, scoring 67 goals, the most in the competition, and had the best goal difference in the League. The U15B team had a successful year coached by Mark Stevens, doing well in the League and going on to play in the Cup semi-finals. The U15A girls went on to play in the Cup final at Hindmarsh Stadium, and showed the benefits of the new coaching regime, with a superb 7 nil win, and went on in the post-season to take out the trophy for runner-up in the Gold Coast Champions Cup Tournament against a very strong representative team from New Zealand.”
– Rauf Soulio
Parent
My association with Adelaide University Women’s Soccer Club started in 2004 in the first junior team Adelaide Uni had for girls, the under 13’s. I was eight years old and all I thought I was doing was going to a friend’s house for a sleep over. On the Sunday morning I dressed to be a spectator for my friends soccer match, little did I know that this would be the beginning of hundreds of evening trainings and early Sunday morning games. I was asked to play for Adelaide Uni that morning and I played with the other girls in our uniform, which included sport shoes, board shorts and a bib. In this first year our team lost every game except one, which we drew. It did not matter that we would turn up to a match and lose it 23-1 because winning was not the issue. We all enjoyed turning up, getting a run on the pitch and trying our hardest to compete against girls who were easily twice our size. We all learned a lot about defence and by the year’s end were holding the same sides to just one or two goals.
My second and third year playing for Adelaide Uni was in a much more relevant age group, Under 11’s. This age group was a first for the club and a first for me. The pitch had shrunk, the playing time and the number of girls on the pitch had almost halved and we started to win some games. We had a lovely coach by the name of Tony who was one of the most encouraging and nicest people you could ever have. In our second year of under 11’s we started to see the benefits of playing in the correct age group and won nearly all of our games! In 2006 I started my involvement in the State Talent Identification Championships (STIC) in the East Under 12 Girls team along four other girls from Adelaide Uni.
In 2007 I was back in under 13’s but this time things had changed. We had a new, enthusiastic and inspirational head of the Club, Kevin Holohan, and Women’s football at Uni was looking more prosperous. Our Uniform colours changed from orange, black and grey to predominately black with a bit of white and I was selected again for STIC in 2007.
In my sixth year for Adelaide Uni, there was a sense of excitement with the appointment of an ex Matilda, Tracey Jenkins as coach of the Under 15A team. Our new coach filled us with knowledge and taught us skills about the game she called football. That year, our team made it to the Cup Semi Final and was extremely unlucky to not make it to the final at Hindmarsh Stadium. That year four girls from Adelaide Uni made it into the State Under 14 Soccer team, Sophie Kitt, Kiara Fragomeli, Ashleigh Spear and myself. Kiara Fragomeli is to be congratulated for being selected to attend one of the Australian U/14 selection camps.
2010 was a huge year for our Under 15A team. We were once again privileged to have Tracey Jenkins as our coach with the assistance of Rob Drusetta and Mark Stevens. We started off the year absolutely blitzing the grading games which resulted in our team being asked by the FFSA to move to the under 17 competition. We did not disappoint in this grade and finished second on the ladder. We were still competing in the Under 15 Cup round and after a tight Semi Final, we made it into the Cup final. Playing at Hindmarsh Stadium and representing Adelaide University was an honour and a buzz. We won the Cup 7-0 and the following people notably scored: Fragomeli 2, Pacillo 2, Bills, Spear, Dodd. Our season had not yet finished and after a lot of hard fundraising our team left for Queensland. We participated in the Gold Coast Cup and made it to the Grand Final. We played a New Zealand team and unfortunately lost 2-1 but despite the loss, we all had a very memorable week.
In 2010 I represented South Australian again in the U/15 soccer team at the National titles and I was lucky enough to be selected captain. I was also given the opportunity to train with the Adelaide United Women’s team in their pre-season and more recently I was selected in the SASI Junior soccer squad along with Kiara Fragomeli, Martika Kollias, Amelia Pacillo and Laura Johns. I have been honoured to have these opportunities which would not have been possible without the support and knowledge I have gained from playing with Adelaide University. It has been a pleasure playing football for this club and I look forward to what it can offer in the years to come. It has come a long way since I started and I am extremely glad that I have been there to witness the development of an amazing club which now fields 6 sides in the junior competition from U/9 to U/17 each week.
– Ellie Bills
FourFourTwo magazine article – 28/10/08
While some might say “clothes maketh the man”, Adelaide University Soccer Club, one of Adelaide’s oldest and proudest football clubs, would probably prefer the adage “don’t judge a book by its cover” after buying the entire stock and kit of defunct A-League club New Zealand Knights.
But as club Chairperson Kevin Holohan will gladly tell you, “the Blacks” have expanded so successfully in recent years that the opportunity to snap up the entire original kit of a “professional” club was too good to miss.
As for any superstitions about purchasing the old Knights kit, Holohan dismisses them: “This club has been around since 1936, has 34 titles and 25 cups and is a foundation stone of South Australian football; what’s there to be superstitious about?”
Success this year came in the form of the SAASL Saturday Division 1 Reserves team, Champions on the last day of the season!
In 2010 the AUSC marks its 75th anniversary and as part of the festivities will hold a gala dinner on Friday the 26th of March 2010 and all past players and supporters are invited. “While the dinner is obviously the big social event of the year, we are also very keen for anyone who has any information, mementos or photos from the last seventy-five years to contact us so we can put together a book on the complete history”, says Holohan.
As of this season (2008) we boasted 23 teams and over 400 players from juniors, women’s, senior men’s in multiple competitions and masters. The club also includes Maiwand FC, comprised of players from the Afghan Refugee Program (SBS Documentary on their Championship season showing soon!).
The heritage of the team is evident in its people; its patron Sir Eric Neal AC CVO, former Governor of South Australia, was a player from 1946-49, Dr William Hill, a long time administrator with the club, is a former doctor to the Socceroos and has played 43 seasons including the last 32 consecutively. Other past players include ex-Matildas Vice-Captain and FFA Board Member Moya Dodd, and Matilda’s Jill Latimer and Tracy Jenkins.
The Blacks’ strength is its diversity of players and talent, a product of its University associations and roots in the wider community: “Over the years we’ve had players from virtually every country on earth pull on the Blacks shirt!” says Holohan.
The club and its six pitches are based in the picturesque Adelaide parklands, a beautiful setting in which that Knights’ kit is, at last, tasting real success. It is currently in discussions with the ACC to build a Club room at the Graduates Oval to secure the Clubs future.