By LAWRENCE MACHADO
Summer football will kickstart the season for the Hills Football Association from November 8, giving hundreds the opportunity to dust off the cobwebs and start showing off their skills again.
The association, which has grown massively since its foundation in 2016, has also reduced its summer registration fees, as a thank, you gesture to its members.
Matt Rippon, the general manager of Hills Football, said the summer competition is just the tonic for their members after their winter season was cut short.
“We are very excited to be able to facilitate a summer football season this year,” Rippon told Hills to Hawkesbury Community News.
“Unfortunately, our winter season was abandoned two-thirds of the way through due to the Sydney Covid-19 lockdown so being able to facilitate any form of community football in 2021 is extremely positive. We have been blown away with initial registrations which have exceeded 180 teams and 2,000 participants.”
Summer Football is a shorter version of the game played by teams of six on quarter pitch fields – four-a-side for the 6 and 7s — and is high intensity with more goals being scored. It is open to juniors, men’s, women’s, and mixed teams.
Matches will be played at three venues: Arnold Ave, North Kellyville; Caddies Creek, North Kellyville; and Holland Reserve, Glenhaven.
“Given the Public Health Orders which will permit community sport (at 80 per cent vaccination) will only take effect in late October, we have had to modify our season from a 10-week to a six-week competition,” Rippon said.
“In saying that though, with the reduced year and as a thank you to our supportive community, we have also adjusted the registration fee to just $100 which also includes the full Legea playing kit for each participant. This means anyone under 18 can utilise the NSW Government Active Kids voucher and essentially play for free.”
The association’s popular walking football will also be restarted during the summer season. The first program was halted a few rounds before the lockdown. Non-contact walking football, which is promoted by Football NSW, provides players with physical and mental health benefits and no running is allowed. The player must always have one foot on the ground. 
Details: [email protected] or Hills Football Summer Comp Registration.
