The Hell of Pre-Season if Over - Thank you to the people who make football happen.

Across Tasmania this week something familiar is happening again.

Pre-season is finally over.

Boots are cleaned and ready for match day one.

Team chats have been buzzing for a while now. Coaches, parents and managers already deep in the rhythm of another season.

Because now the season really begins.

The glamour and spruiking of the NPL has already happened. The top men’s competition kicked off last weekend.

Now it is the turn of the rest of the game.

WSL. Championship. Championship Reserves.

Under 18 boys and girls.

Some youth competitions.

The part of football where most of the game actually lives.

And seasons do not begin by themselves.

They begin because people make them begin.

The quiet work before the first whistle

So when I sat down to write this blog post, I started thinking about all the things football clubs have to do before they even kick a ball.

Seriously, if we didn’t love the game, we simply wouldn’t do it.

The list kept getting longer and longer.

And I am absolutely certain I’ve missed plenty of things that clubs do every single week.

When you stop and think about it, the effort across the state is quite unbelievable.

Long before the first match kicks off, hundreds of people have already been working quietly behind the scenes.

Chasing parents to register their children.

The registrar emailing the Academy Director or coach.

“These ones are registered. These ones aren’t.”

Aarrgh… still not enough to field a team.

Nag, nag… please register.

Dealing with late registrations and constant team reshuffles.

Grading discussions and explaining decisions to parents.

Moving players between teams so everyone gets a game.

Mapping players into teams in Dribl.

Seeking clearances from Emma at Football Tasmania.

Checking with council about ground bookings.

Making sure all officials are entered correctly into Dribl.

Recruiting coaches and team managers for every team.

Organising canteen rosters.

Finding match-day volunteers.

Working out who is doing the BBQ.

Reaching out to local businesses for sponsorship.

And thanking those who support community football year after year.
Posting fixtures and team news on social media.

Even asking opposition coaches for quotes ahead of the weekend.

Answering parent emails.

Calming concerns about playing time.

Explaining grading decisions.

Sharing fixtures and ground changes.

Ordering balls, bibs and cones.

Checking the lights work for training.

Fixing broken nets or posts.

Numbering and printing new kits.

Supplying canteens. Organising gate keepers.

Reminding people about behaviour and expectations and the very real fines that come when people decide to be stupid or disrespectful.

Working With Vulnerable People checks.

Child safety policies.

First aid kits and incident reports.

Risk assessments for grounds.

Are there enough socks?

Jerseys that fit the new kid who is bigger than the rest of his team, or tinier than the rest of hers.

Is there a hole in the net that won’t pass the referee check?

Filling gaps in teams because someone is suddenly sick.

Checking referee appointments and warning team managers that someone may need to run the line.

Unlocking the ground.

Corner flags out.

Benches for the subs.

Match balls cleaned and ready.

Match manager organised.

Telling the kids to turn their jerseys and shorts the right way after the game to help the person who must wash the kits.

Reminding teams not to do repetitive warm-ups on the pitch because the fields are fragile and we have to look after them.

And in my case, charging camera batteries, making sure I have the keys to unlock the grounds and hoping someone will help push the goals out.

Thank goodness for 360-degree wheels.

And on and on it goes.

Most people never see any of this.

But anyone who has ever helped run a football club knows the truth.

It takes an enormous amount of effort just to get to the starting line.

The structures behind the game

There are also people working within the broader structures of football who help the season begin.

Within Football Tasmania, staff spend months preparing fixtures, managing registrations and organising referee appointments across competitions.

The referees themselves also deserve a mention. Pulling their boots on again for another season, often with little thanks but enormous responsibility.

And of course the people who prepare the grounds. The quiet work of mowing, lining, repairing and maintaining fields so that thousands of players can safely take the field each week.

Often working closely with local councils who help make sure the facilities are ready for the season ahead.

There are also the people who tell the story of the game. The volunteers, photographers and writers who report on matches, share results and celebrate the moments that make community football special.

When the season begins smoothly, it is rarely noticed.

But that preparation is part of what allows the game to function week after week.

And then, finally, the whistle blows and the ball moves again.

A moment to say thank you

So before the first results start appearing, it feels important to pause.

Because all of that work you did got us here.

Unlocking the grounds.

Setting up the fields.

Chasing registrations.

Sorting teams.

Organising referees.

Preparing competitions.

You did this.

You amazing people who care about football and love the game.

So congratulate yourself.

The hell of pre-season is over.

And now, finally, the ball starts rolling again.

Thousands of players across Tasmania will run onto fields this weekend ready to play.

Because you made it happen.

Thank you. ⚽