Return-to-play dates for south-west Victoria soccer clubs

The state body has targetted June 28 for community clubs to kick-off after the coronavirus-enforced break.

The Ballarat and District Soccer Association, which features Warrnambool Rangers, and South West Victoria Football Association, which includes the Rangers, Warrnambool Wolves, Corangamite Lions, Hamilton Raiders, Deakin Dragons and Stawell Pioneers, fall under the community club banner.

National Premier League junior clubs are chasing a June 20 return and its senior outfits could be on track by early July.

Warrnambool Wolves president Brett Gasper said it was pleasing to have a potential start date but admitted there were hurdles.

He said as of Wednesday the club was waiting for Warrnambool City Council approval to return to training at its Harris Street complex.

Football Victoria has announced guidelines which allow clubs to train.

"I know there's a lot of clubs around the country that are still waiting for council approval," he said.

"Until we get council approval, we can't return to the training pitch let alone return to competition.

"We are waiting for that."

Gasper said he understood it was a busy time for council, given multiple sports are in the process of making a comeback following the COVID-19 break.

"There is a lot of people in the same boat from different parts of the state," he said.

"It's not just our council, it's not a local issue. It's changing times for everyone and going through the return-to-play guidelines, there's a lot to work through and councils would be no different, other than they'd be getting it from all sports across the board.

"There is a lot of information to digest and best practice to put in place so I don't envy council's position on this."

Gasper said the SWVFA was "looking at a couple of different scenarios" and would be agile when planning a season.

"It would be great to think come June 28 we are having our first competitive hit-out," he said.

Rangers president Cameron Pyke said the club had a meeting scheduled for Wednesday night.

He said it would approach council with its plans "so they know we're prepared and not jumping into it willy-nilly".

"I can't see any reason why council wouldn't allow it," Pyke said.

"They've been doing regular maintenance to the grounds."

Pyke, who plays as a goal keeper, said Football Victoria's return-to-play announcement was exciting.

"When I first received the email I was over the moon to think we have a return date in mind," he said.

"There's a lot of things still to be put in place like planning and making sure we adhere to the regulations but to know there's been a good amount of work done by the community and others to make sure the virus doesn't spread that we can get to a point to even have the conversation was really promising."

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