Photos from the Dapto Phoenix and Illawarra Stingrays fun day

The registration day saw some mini matches take place on an inflatable pitch on a sunny Saturday morning. Dapto's Connor Crossingham - donning a PSG Lionel Messi shirt - looked in fine form heading into the season, as did the Max Thomson from Horsley.

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The day proved a chance for kids to get outside and soak up the sun whilst playing the sport that they love off the back of the Christmas and new year holidays and just before they returned to school.

Phoenix and Stingrays president Kathy McDonogh said the event was a success and that she hoped it would inspire more people to sign up for football in 2023.

"The club fun day went really well," she told the Mercury.

"There's community interest, there were people that registered on the spot, there was a lot of interest from the women's which was really good and this last part was lovely to see especially with the women's World Cup just around the corner.

"We had the inflatable pitch up for about three-and-a-half hours and the kids could have played all day. It was great to see people register for football and in particular it was great to see that interest from women and girls specifically," she said.

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The club rego day came following the announcement that the Stingrays and the Phoenix had merged committees in order to create a long-term future partnership to enhance each club with an eye on creating future NPL and national team stars.

"With this announcement we have the Stingrays, the Wolves and an FSC club working together as one and we couldn't be more thrilled. It will give us the opportunity to uncover future junior stars," the Phoenix and Stingrays president told the Mercury last Friday.

As well as the Phoenix, there are 26 other junior clubs taking part in the Football South Coast season for 2023. Off the back of two COVID-19 interrupted seasons and severe wet weather taking large chunks games in 2022, it could be the first full junior and senior campaign in three years.

If you are looking to register yourself or for someone else this football season for any club in the Illawarra head to https://footballsouthcoast.com/junior-registration-days/ and follow the prompts.

The men's Premier and District League draws were released on Friday. See the full draw below:

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