MORISSET United Football Club's under-14 premiers have dominated to win Northern NSW Football's Champion of Champion tournament at Coffs Harbour.
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The young Strikers represented Macquarie Football at the tournament.
They took on the champions from five of the other six NNSWF zones, including Newcastle Football and Football Far North Coast.
Morisset was undefeated across its five games, and secured the coveted trophy with a 3-nil win over Northern Storm FC in the final.
Morisset's dominance was best illustrated in one key statistic: the team scored 18 goals in the tournament, and conceded just one.
The win at Coffs Harbour capped a remarkable season for the Morisset team which, a week earlier, won the under-14 grand-final in the local club competition - their third consecutive club title.
Coach Rod Bartlett said their was plenty to admire about the team - both on and off the pitch.
"The boys have very good skills, and one of their most outstanding attributes is how much they all want the ball," Mr Bartlett said.
"Off the field, the boys have been tight friends since they were in primary school and although they now go to three or four different high schools, they still all communicate with each other and hang out together at weekends and go camping or surfing," he said.
Among the schools that the boys attend are Morisset High, Avondale School, St Paul's Catholic College and Heritage College Lake Macquarie.
Making news:
Parent Sarah Reeley, whose son Braxton is in the team, said they were an impressive and respectful group.
"They're all polite and well mannered, and just a really nice bunch of boys," she said.
Mr Bartlett said the team had stars across the park in Coffs Habour.
Captain Dylan Greenacre, at centre back, led the team well, while Yhoden Gyamfi (4), Will Bartlett (3) and Breadon Stevens (3) were the team's leading goal scorers.
Goal-keepers Hayden Roberts and Cody Maua were also very impressive, the coach said.
"There were probably two goals that we scored that were our goals of the series, and I couldn't split them," Mr Bartlett said.
"Cooper Gambril and Antwon Maua both scored outstanding goals from way out, and both were cracking shots."
The team's success over several seasons has not gone unnoticed.
Approaches have recently been made to some of the Morisset players to take their games to the next level at other clubs, and in different leagues.
"Hopefully, we can keep the boys together," Mr Bartlett said. "But if they want to chase their dreams in the sport, then I'll have done my job, and I'd wish them all the best."
Morisset's champion squad: 1 Hayden Roberts, 2 Jack Thompson, 3 Caleb Brown, 4 Bailey Lenders, 5 Dylan Greenacre (c), 6 Braxton Reeley, 7 Nathan Roseland, 8 Cooper Gambril, 9 Breadon Stevens, 10 William Bartlett, 11 Kaleb Smith,12 Aiden Smith, 13 Yhoden Gyamfi, 14 Antwon Maua, 15 Cody Wattus
Coach's fun approach to footy a key to success
IF coaching the all-conquering Morisset Strikers under-14s soccer team has taught Rod Bartlett anything, it's the importance of fun and friendship.
"Success is always a secondary thing," Mr Bartlett said of his coaching philosophy.
Sure, there are skills to impart, tactics to develop, and structures to practice.
But they haven't been Mr Bartlett's top priorities over five highly successful seasons in charge of the team.
"I've always concentrated more on the friendships and fun," he said.
It's an approach he said was summed up in his corny saying: "Training then funning".
"If it's not fun, then I don't think the kids will be as keen to learn.
"It's not meant to be tedious."
Mr Bartlett recently coached the young Strikers to victory in Northern NSW Football's Champion of Champions tournament at Coffs Harbour (see story above).
As the local under-14s champions, Morisset qualified to represent Macquarie Football in a tournament against the champions from five of the other six zones in the NNSWF region.
Morisset lapped their opponents, winning all five games, including the final, while racking up 18 goals and conceding just one.
"No-one guessed that would happen," Mr Bartlett said.
While his team had won the local title three years running, they hadn't been tested against champion under-14s teams from outside the district.
"We thought competing at Coffs Harbour would give us a good indication of where we're actually at [as a football team]," he said.
Mr Bartlett said his background was in rugby league, but he put his hand up to coach the boys' soccer team at under-10s.
"I'm just a fill-in dad coach," he said.
"I didn't play soccer, but I did it [coaching] so that I could have more time with my son, Will."
He achieved that goal. But then something else happened.
"Then I started to build relationships with the other kids. I didn't expect that.
"Over the last few years I've become really attached to these kids, and I've forged friendships with their parents, as well."
Mr Bartlett praised the Morisset club for providing a nurturing and supportive environment for all of its teams, and its coaching staff.
"I've really got to take my hat to them," he said.
Mr Bartlett is planning to do it all again next season, when his team will compete at under-15s level.
