Storm ravaged football tournament

PARTY POOPER: The storm clouds roll into Wembley Park to spoil the party for the WIS academy team and rivals in the Wanganui Athletic Junior Football Tournament on Sunday. PHOTO/Justin Myburgh

Organisers of the Wanganui Athletic Junior Football Tournament at the weekend are satisfied their event was a success despite the challenging weather on the day.

Thirty teams took to the fields on Sunday to contest trophies in Under 9, Under 11, Under 13 and Under 16 grades.

Severe winds and heavy rain dominated Wembley Park throughout the day, even gusting to gale-force at times. Spells of torrential rain and brief hailstorms added to the mix, but it didn't deter the huge number of players, officials and supporters that turned out for the popular event.

Teams attended from clubs and schools from around the region, having travelled from as far afield as Hunterville, Hawera, Ashhurst, Kapiti, Wellington and Hokowhitu (Palmerston North).

Ultimately the weather caused an early finish to the tournament, but not before some outstanding football was played. The Under 9 Grade teams were able to see their games completed, with Wellington's Western Suburbs taking out the top trophy they had been gunning for. Other grades have found their winners through points tallies, but the Under 13 Grade will be hotly-contested when Athletic Wolverines meet WIS Yellow at a yet-to-be-announced date to play out their semi-final. The winner of that round will travel to Paraparaumu to play Kapiti Coast United in the final match, on their home turf.

Event Manager Gary Johnston and his team of volunteers were happy with the results from the day.

"Up until lunchtime, the tournament was running to plan, everything was running to time and going well. The referees especially did a great job of keeping things on track."

"The exposure that Wanganui teams had to a higher level of football, especially to the Wellington teams was great," Johnston said.

While it is accepted that football is a winter sport to be played out in the elements, the storm conditions on the day were pretty forceful, causing the organisers to make a judgement on participant safety. Johnston made the decision to wrap up the event early, after the temperature dropped dramatically.

"At the end of the day you make the decision based on the safety of the kids, and the players. It's the one thing that I'm not prepared to compromise on, is player safety."

Proving the most hardy of the lot were Athletic's own all-girl team the Athletic Starlets who were still posing for team pictures long after most of the teams had left the pitches.

The early finish meant that the tournament prizegiving was foregone, however medals and trophies will be sent out to the winning teams to be presented at their respective prizegiving ceremonies.