Photo: Supplied.
FROM CAPALABA BULLDOGS
Capalaba Bulldogs soccer club has a reason to celebrate this festive season, with news that the club’s Youth Academy has been awarded ‘Silver Status’ by Football Queensland.
This achievement means that Capalaba’s junior and youth academy players will be promoted to Division 2 of Football Queensland’s Advanced Junior Competitions for the 2024 season – the second-highest level in South-East Queensland.
Technical Director Gary Bailey spoke to The Community Leader about what this means to the club.
“We want to be competing at the highest level possible and offering the best opportunities for our players and coaches,” explained Gary. “This achievement shows we are moving in the right direction.”
UEFA-accredited coach Bailey, who has worked with professional football clubs Watford and Stevenage in his native UK, took over the coaching reigns at Capalaba in late 2022 to achieve Silver Status in his first 12 months.
Understandably, he was delighted to achieve this goal. “Bringing in new coaches to join our existing team and investing in training for the coaching group was a major factor in us obtaining FQ silver status this year,” said Gary.
The Capalaba club, which celebrated its 50th anniversary back in 2022, runs Academy level boys teams at all ages from under 9’s through to under 18’s, as well as a highly successful girls division that offers Academy teams at the Under 11, Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17 age groups.
“The way we develop and support our players has been completely revamped in the last 12 months,” remarked Bailey, who is particularly passionate about the growth of the female game, having coached at the second tier of women’s football in the UK with former championship side London Bees.
Capalaba’s Youth Academy members have already started pre-season training ahead of the 2024 season beginning in March and look set to build on their impressive achievements since Bailey took charge.
