President's Welcome


Welcome to 2024

To view entire contents of the below letter in pdf format please click here.


Dear Players, Parents and Carers


I trust that you have had a wonderful Christmas celebration and are now looking forward to the new year ?

Accordingly, I would like to extend a warm welcome to each of you, your families and friends to Season 2024 at Pennant Hills Football Club, A Club Like No Other, and one of the most successful clubs and Premier League teams in the history of our local North West Sydney Football (“NWSF”) Association. We are a proud Club, with a fantastic footballing philosophy of sportsmanship and fun, regularly featuring at the top of our local association’s annual best and fairest.

Before we talk of 2024 specifics, it would be remiss of me not to say - Wow, didn’t the Matildas do well at the Women’s FIFA World Cup, as the nation fell in love with the Matildas and membership of our female Liberty A-League teams booms. The 2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup broke all TV viewing figures for women’s sport around the globe, so ensuring that football is truly the world game and the best loved sport on the planet. No wonder – anyone can play and it truly brings people together and generates life-long friendships.

Penno FC played its own part, with many of you part of the Women’s FIFA World Cup story, when we hosted the world cup trophy at Pennant Hills on the eve of the final. A truly wonderful and exciting day from which I hope many dreams were born – both girls and boys (Matildas and Socceroos).

For 2024 – in January, we will see the Socceroos at the Asian Cup and, later in the year, the Matildas at the Paris Olympics. Closer to home, a new winter season for our football community, with pre-season starting in February / March and the official season commencing.

Let the dreams begin !

The season that was 2023

Our sport continues to grow from strength to strength, with membership numbers and particularly female playing numbers continuing to grow. In the after-glow of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the focus on growing female participation will only hopefully continue to grow. Penno FC is proud to be part of that growth.

The Women’s World Cup was not only about female football, but also football in general, with the male population of all ages and sporting persuasions also caught up in Matilda fever. The Asian Cup, in which our Socceroos will be amongst the favourites, starts on 13 January, so hopefully, the country will again be football mad.

Looking back on 2023, after several years of disruption, the season ran smoothly, with Penno FC experiencing its most successful year ever on the field. This follows the introduction of professionally-led training (approx. 10 years ago) for our Junior players, with a focus on skills development. The programme is delivering results not only with player skills development but also player retention, with many players continuing onto Senior Football and benefiting both physically through the enjoyment of the beautiful game and life-long friendships made on the field.

For the record, our on-field competition results continue to improve:

In 2024, plans are well underway to introduce Junior Development Squads in partnership with KANO, with 137 registering their interest and enthusiastically attending pre-Christmas Development Squad trials. (The skill levels on display, with nearing every player seeking to control the ball rather than simply kicking it, is a testament to the Club’s investment in professional training, led by KANO over the past three years.)

For a final word on 2023, it would be remiss of me to not mention Summer Football. Again, another record year and little disruption.

Summer football at Penno was another spectacular success in 2023, with 951 players resulting in 128 teams and 640 games.

Our thanks go to our Summer Football team, led by Connor Dent-McLean Ty Ditchburn, Ethan Ditchburn, Jake Ghalloub, Hunter Dent-McLean, Kim Rosewell and Grahame Bateman; and not forgetting our many referees.

Through our leading involvement during the winter and summer seasons, together with our renowned Penno spirit of fair play – we truly are A Club Like No Other. Come join us for 2024.

Season 2024 – Key Dates

Turning to the upcoming 2024 winter season, online registrations have already opened (3 January 2024).

To avoid Saturday sport, we are changing from our usual registration Day to a Registration Evening, which will be held at our Penno Synthetic on Friday, 2 February between 5:00 and 7:00 pm, where you can catch up with Committee Members (have any questions you may have answered) or just bring a ball and have a kick-about.

You can of course register online, in fact it is generally easier for all to do so, however, do feel free to come along, even if you have registered online – it would be good to reconnect ahead of the 2024 season.

Following on from our Registration Evening, Allocation Days have been set to commence on our traditional second Sunday of February, being the 11th, followed by 18 & 25 February. An allocation day schedule will be available on our website and social pages.

Pre-season Training can commence in the week beginning 28 February, with our KANO junior development programme also set to commence in early March. In the meantime, you can expect further communication(s) with regard to our new development squad programme before pre-season commences. A draft training schedule can also be found on our website and social pages.

Trials – these are being scheduled for Sundays 10, 17 & 24 March. A process is currently being developed to assist teams who want some pre-season friendlies. While we understand that not all teams want or can-do trials, they are an important part of both pre-season preparation and team bonding, so please, as a member of a team, check your dates, lock them in where possible and let your coaches know as early as possible if they don’t work for you. That gives us a chance, if possible, to reorganise.

Finally, the season starts on Friday, 5 April / Saturday, 6 April (following the Easter weekend).

Note: An evolving calendar of key dates can be found on our website. While your Age Manager will endeavour to contact you when key dates change, please help us by helping yourself and keep an eye out for changes as they may impact you.

Please register early, it helps:

Most of all, it helps us to help you in the formation of teams and ensure that each team has a coach and manager. To help us do that, please encourage your friends to join us and help build our Club.

It continues to be our objective to have at least one competitive team and one social team across all age groups from U10 (9-a-side) to U18s. While U10-12s are not formally recognised as competition teams, they are subject to “soft” grading, allowing those with a more serious interest to enjoy football in a more challenging and “competitive” environment, while those who prefer a more “social outlook - playing with friends” can also enjoy their football experience in an appropriate environment.

At the present time, we are only part way there to achieving this objective. The introduction of development squads should help those who are more serious about their football and wish to play more competitively. More on that below.

In the younger age groups – our challenge is to have the numbers to ensure that as our children move through the ranks (from 4-a-side at U6&7, to 7-a-side at U8&9, to 9-a-side at U10-12 and finally to the full 11-a-side at U13s), with sufficient players in each age group to ensure all are able to play at the level they desire. Sometimes this is not possible, but we do our best. Accordingly, strong numbers and recruitment remain a key part in being able to deliver upon and achieve our objective.

Please do not underestimate the strength that your strong positive experience has on recruitment, especially if done early. You would be surprised how many (too) late enquiries we get. So, if you know someone that might be interested, pick up the phone NOW and have a chat with them and / or us if you need assistance about what we can offer. [Contents]


U6-U12 - KANO Skills Development Programme and Introduction of Junior Development Squads

In 2021, we successfully introduced KANO as our professional coaching partner, and now enter our fourth year with KANO.

Upon its introduction, the programme was heavily subsidised to kick it off in 2021, with a nominal $25 fee per child for a season’s coaching, and with a view that the coaching would prove invaluable in developing player skills and retention. The intention was always to run the programme at breakeven, with sponsorships helping to keep the individual player contribution down to manageable levels. As we enter our fourth year with KANO, the results are clear.

This year, in order for the programme to be sustainable, it is necessary to raise this contribution (as part of your child's player subscription), still well below the cost to Penno as a Club. With the current cost of living crisis and the likely loss of the Active Kid’s voucher for many of our younger (U18) families, we have strived to keep this increase to a minimum, So this component of the junior registration fee will only rise by $5 to $80. This still represents outstanding value, particularly after taking account of the success in player development that the Club has experienced since the introduction of formal coaching programmes almost 10 years ago, at little more than $5 per week (which compares very favourably against a daily cup of coffee).

The balance of the overall cost will be covered by sponsorship, with the Club’s auditor, Manser, Tierney & Johnston donating their fee to support the programme, Club reserves and other fund-raising activities.

Fees for those who will be part of the new development squad programme have been communicated separately.

Success (by which ever measure you choose) and our training programme does come at a cost. Hopefully, even in the face of the current cost of living crisis, football and your involvement with Penno FC, still demonstrates significant value for money when compared with other activities.

For now, summer football and sponsorships help keep the cost to parents manageable. As a Club we will continue to subsidise the programme, but look to parents to make a more meaningful contribution over time as the benefits of the programme are realised.


Junior Development Squad

Success is built over time, requiring hard work and patience. It also requires investment and engagement. My thanks go to those Committee Members responsible for our Junior programme. They have invested much over the past few years, with the addition of a development squad programme being the next step in our development as a football club.

Importantly, our development squads are not about elitism, but rather giving our young players the opportunity to grow and be the best they can; nurture their skills; and have time to build confidence to play for many, many years ahead.

I am convinced that our recent and growing successes are the result of our focus on player skills development over many years, together with the support of our coaches, managers, parents and carers. Thank you for your support.

Further communications on KANO will be forthcoming over the coming weeks as we progress to the start of our 2024 winter season.

Women and Girls’ Football

2023 was the year in which Australia (and NZ) hosted the Women’s World Cup. Many still talk excitedly about the tournament and the opportunity it brings to further develop the female game. Infact, FIFA referred to the women’s game as simply “football”, with no differentiation between male and female. At Penno, while we want to give equal opportunity to all to shine, we want to encourage greater female participation across all age groups. We have achieved much in the past two years, but would like to do more.

For now, the immediate growth of female football is assured, however, for us as a Club, while we have the resources, we still have a way to go to be able to offer competitive football at every level for women and girls, most obviously in the teenage years and All-Age categories.

At Penno FC, we experienced a significant increase in female participation in 2022 and 2023, supported by a female kit grant (proudly funded by the NSW Government) and being one of 16 inaugural NWSF Legacy 23 clubs in advance of the Women’s World Cup. 

We would love to continue this growth in 2023 and beyond. If you know of players or a team that might like to come across, we would love to welcome them.

Girls (from U6s) can play in either the mixed competition (Saturday) or the women’s competition (Sunday). Prospective female players who are not sure whether a female team will be formed in their age group should therefore contact Ian Martin on 0438 963 047.

Watch out for more information on our social media as momentum builds

Playing Kit

In 2023, we entered into an arrangement with Ultra Football to set up a Club Zone Store, which enables players to acquire their own adidas branded jersey. In addition, players and supporters can buy Penno merchandise and / or other sporting gear from all the major brands. For everything bought, Penno will receive a small commission, which will help to keep future registration fees down.

Going forward, players will own their jerseys and be responsible for it, so reducing cost and administration to the Club and its volunteers.

Previously, we spent up to $8,000 each year replacing unreturned and damaged jerseys, meaning that this flows through into annual registration fees. Each year the task of managing equipment and kit grows. The feedback on the new kit has been very positive, with most comments appreciating the clean more traditional green and gold look.

We have a small stock of shorts and socks, which will be on sale at the Canteen on Registration Evening, Allocation Days and pre-season Training nights at our Pennant Hills Home Ground Canteen off Britannia Street, Pennant Hills. Alternatively, you might like to order these online through the Ultra Football Club Zone Store.

In terms of 2024, U6s, new players and those who may have grown out of or damaged your jersey(s), will need to order their jerseys in good time. For our younger, faster growing Members, we have introduced a Facebook swap facility, which you may want to try before jumping on to the Club Store.

Proudly funded by the NSW Government

Separately, as part of our commitment to growing female football, we successfully obtained a State Government grant to provide a “female” cut jersey for our female competition teams. For new females to the Club, we are still in growth mode and still have a female cut in stock, so speak with your Age Manager if you require assistance.

Watch out for more information on our social media as momentum builds.

Football Innovation

As with many other sports, Football is also looking at new and innovative ways to keep older players involved for longer. With the increasing number of synthetic fields, greater opportunities for newer, smaller and shorter versions of the beautiful game are opening up.

Two years ago, NWSF successfully added Friday Night Men’s Masters and Walking Football to the menu following the introduction of a Women’s Masters competition in 2021. Penno teams participate in both Masters’ competitions, but we are yet to participate in the Walking Football (its more fun than the name implies). If you are interested in these forms of football, please check out our website and registration options

Referees Course

Please click here to read about the Referees Courses on offer. 

Sponsorships

Penno FC is committed to providing our Members with the best experience, and this would not be possible without our generous sponsors.

As we all know, cost of living pressures has had and continues to have an impact across our community, so sponsorships play an important part in keeping the cost of playing down.

By supporting our sponsors, you are saying thank-you for their support and encouraging their continued support. So, where possible, please patronise our sponsors and take the opportunity to thank them for their support of our Club.

Accordingly, I would like to thank the following winter and summer sponsors for their support to the Club and community throughout 2023 and into 2024.

As we prepare for the 2024 season, we continue to look for opportunities for new sponsorships and believe we offer sponsors and potential sponsors the opportunity to be part of our growing football community and in return reach our winter season community, with more than 650 registered players, our summer football community of almost 1,000 players, together with their respective families, friends and of course visiting teams and their respective entourages.

Our NWSF Football Community area is significant, with approaching 20,000 participants, together with their families and other supporters. Our community will continue to grow following the success of the Socceroos at the last year’s Qatar FIFA World Cup and the outstanding success of the FIFA Women's World Cup held on our own shores.

We would love to hear from any further prospective sponsors for the 2024 season. If you are interested, please get in contact with David Hogan (on hogandavid94@gmail.com) or any Committee Member.

Penno Committee

Our Club is a community club and relies on volunteers.

Over the past few seasons, we have all seen the important role that community football clubs play in the lives of our local community, the joy when players, coaches, managers, supporters (families and friends) come together to enjoy our beautiful game, whether it be for our regular winter season or our ever-expanding summer season. None of these things happen by themselves, so I take this opportunity to publicly thank my fellow Committee Members, both past and present, for their commitment, without which there would be no Club or organised football.

As our Committee evolves, we have started to see a transition in Committee personnel, with the introduction of several new Committee Members from the Junior end of the Club, which bodes well for our future. However, if we are to continue our growth, develop our Club and Community both in a footballing sense and importantly, also as a social community, it would be great to have some new Committee Members. Wouldn’t you love to be part of something special ?

If you are approached by any of current (or indeed past) Committee Members to consider a role, whether it be formally on Committee or simply as someone who can assist with a specific task, it would be most appreciated if you would give that request your consideration. Most roles are not demanding, particularly if we have numbers, and are usually a source of enjoyment and new friendships within our footballing community – with sons and daughters proud to be able to say that my mum or dad (etc) is doing something to help our / your Club.

If you are able to assist, please contact myself (0418 606 832) or another Committee Member.

It is great to see so many of you volunteering and the reward that comes with it – could our next volunteer be you ?

Social Events

As noted above, we are so much more than a football club and, accordingly, we believe that we are at the heart of our Pennant Hills community and should play a bigger role within our community. One way to build our Club and community is to develop our social side.

In 2023, we re-introduced our “Back to Penno Day”. In 2024, it would be great to expand the event and maybe make it “Penno Day”, with a social evening function as well. To do this we need assistance to plan and organise

If you can help – please contact myself or one of our Committee Members.

BBQ Service

In 2023, after a disruptive few years, we were able to successfully reintroduce our Junior Saturday morning BBQ service to Ern Holmes Oval, which really adds to the Saturday morning gala feel. This year we hope to expand our offering, so watch this space.

Our thanks go to Vera and Dallas Whitehead for the BBQ’s resurrection. If you think you can help, please to a Committee Member to find out more.

It’s a great way to get to know your community.

REGISTRATION – Need to know, Process and What Happens Next

NSW Government Active Kids Scheme

Please refer to the 'How to Register' tile for information on using your Active Kids voucher.

Introduction to Football

This season, we are again subsidising the cost of Registration for our U6 (4x4) and U7 (4x4) teams to encourage participation from new and young players to come along and experience the beautiful game with Penno FC. So, feel free to spread the word with regards to this special Penno FC offering. 

Online Registration


Please refer to the 'How to Register' tile for information on registering for this season.

2024 Fees

Please refer to the 'Fees' page.

Team Allocations

Please click here for more information.

Trial Games

Trial games have been a bit of a hit and miss over the past few years, so this season we plan to try something different. Age Managers will be in touch with their respective teams to gauge appetite. For MiniRoos and Juniors, we are looking at the prospect of commencing the season with a Gala-day event (if possible).

However, it should be noted that, unfortunately, it is likely that Hornsby Council will only release our synthetic ground for pre-season – meaning that ALL clubs in the northern part of our NWSF association area will also seek to use our home field, placing enormous pressure on NWSF and ourselves to share the resource to enable all clubs to undertake their pre-season grading / allocation days.

This may mean that we are unable to offer as many trial opportunities are we may have been able to in the past. 

Training Nights

Please refer to 'Training' for information.

Coaches

Please refer to 'Coaches and Managers' for more information

 

Time To Register

To register for Season 2024, click here.  Should you have problems registering, please contact our Registration team:


Should you have problems registering, please contact our Registration team:

Registrar

Ian Martin

Email: pennofcregistrar@gmail.com

Mob: 0438 963 047


Assistant Registrar

Ty Ditchburn

Email: pennofcregistrar@gmail.com

Age Managers

Confirmation of Age Managers is imminent, with our website to be updated shortly. In the meantime, a draft schedule has been uploaded, which can be used if required. If you need more immediate assistance, please contact myself (0418 606 832) or Tom Dyson (0439 911 370) and we will try point you in the right direction.

Once finalised, details will be posted to the Penno website under “Club Information” drop-down.

Welcome aboard and get set for another great year at Penno. Registrations are now open.


On behalf of Penno FC, I wish all of you a happy and successful 2024.

 

Tony Macko


Tony Macko

Club President

January 2024