The future of football and netball in the Limestone Coast has been thrown up in the air yet again after Casterton Sandford voted with its feet on Sunday.
The Cats were given the option of voting for or against a proposed move from the Western Border Football Netball League to the Mid South Eastern competitions last weekend.
Once the results were compiled on Sunday, the desire for change on the Victorian side of the border was clear for all to see with Casterton Sandford voting a whopping 97% in favour of the motion.
Casterton Sandford will now follow a process to apply for a move to “The Family League” through the SANFL, which will have to be completed within 60 days.
When speaking previously to The SE Voice Casterton Sandford Football Club president Dylan Ayton said it was the “only option”.
“After everything that has happened with the survey and the SANFL’s 16 team competition which we thought was really good and will not go ahead, this is the only option we have as a club to push ahead with,” he said.
“We are really pushing forward to grow all aspects of our club and that could not happen at Western Border level.”
Although the announcement could leave the future of the Western Border football and netball leagues in danger with only five teams, WBFL president Michael Summers welcomed the news.
“That is fantastic,” he said.
“They are wanting change, so now the SANFL must make the change happen.
“Now we will just have to work with the SANFL about the future of the sport in the South East and see what it looks like for Western Border clubs.”
Casterton Sandford did not make this call lightly or rush into it.
The club played an active role during both the Limestone Coast Football Regional Council’s and SANFL’s review into the current state of the sport in the region.
But after the proposed changes raised from both reviews were knocked back, the Cats took matters into their own hands and assessed what was the best option to sustain their future.
With Casterton Sandford only able to field two of the three sides required to compete in the Western Border junior grades, it started to struggle to keep up to speed with its more populated rivals.
As there are only two junior grades and many similar community style clubs in the Mid South Eastern competition, the Cats believed it was the best bet.
This case was further enhanced due to the nearby Victorian based South West District Football League not having a junior competition anymore.
After coming to this realisation Casterton Sandford spread masses of information to its members expressing the reasons behind the proposal, including one session which attracted an estimated virtual and live audience of around 500 people.
The sessions clearly showcased the club’s vision and the people followed suit with a near unanimous decision for change believing the Mid South Eastern Football Netball League is the best place to enter the next chapter.
Whether or not other current Western Border clubs follow suit and do something similar remains to be seen, but the Cats’ desire to find a new home has reignited the now familiar discussions for change and time will tell if it will be third time lucky.
Casterton Sandford was approached for comment following Sunday’s vote.
