LIKE many South Coast sports clubs, the start of 2020 has been difficult for Southern Branch Football Club.
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From the bushfires to the floods and now the coronavirus pandemic, it's been a tough six months on everyone.
However, adversity is something Southern Branch players revel in and they intend on showing that when the 2020 season kicks off over the next two weekends.
"It's been a very disappointing start to the season with many local families and businesses being affected by the extreme bushfires that haunted the South Coast region - which was topped off with COVID-19," Southern Branch president Glenn Wright said.
"However, as a community-based club and with a new motivated committee, we plan to use 2020 as a development year and help enhance our local footballing talent."
This season the club will field six teams in the National Premier League Two, headlined by Brad Banks' first grade women's side.
"We made a tough decision not to field a reserve grade side in 2020 due to lack of numbers and our men's NPL2 sides, involving boys and youth/men's, were relegated to youth league last season," Wright said.
"The new board has and is working extremely hard to ensure this does not happen to the women's NPL space.
"We are looking to shore up things with a permanent home ground, sponsorship and funding, improving our coaching staff with further training and accreditation giving them more knowledge and greater abilities to impart on our talented athletes."
While the club admits the delayed kick-off and lockdown was hard, its teams remained focused on their season's goals.
"Our accredited coaching staff remained connected to the players throughout lockdown with the likes of Zoom, Facebook and other social media outlets," Wright said.
"Encouraging players to stay physically fit with select training regimes and helping them to stay mentally positive with their interactions."
This ensured the teams had a smooth transition back into training when it was allowed to resume on May 28.
"Once we felt comfortable as a committee with the procedures that were put in place, training resumed for the majority of Southern Branch FC teams. The limit was 10 people per team with no contact while maintaining social distancing regulations," St Georges Basin resident Wright said.
"This required all our coaching staff to modify what a normal training session would look like and to abide by the strict social distancing measures - allowing our coaching staff to work on isolated technics and fitness.
"We are now in the next stage of restrictions allowing our squads to undertaken normal training sessions with a minimum of 20 people.
"You can definitely see the spark returning in the girls.
"Although it's been a very hard and testing pre-season, due to many factors, I'm confident 2020 will be a great development year for all inspiring footballers.
"On top of that, we are planning great things for 2021."
Southern's two SAP sides will kick-off their campaigns on Sunday, July 12 at Ison Park - with the under 11s playing Bankstown City FC and the under 13s taking on Marconi.
This year's modified competition will span 18 rounds concluding at home against Nepean and Manly United on Sunday, October 25.
This Sunday will also mark the start of Southern's youth sides (under 14s, 15 and 17s) season - with all teams battling the Mariners at the Central Coast.
The 12-team, 22-round competition (featuring double-headers) will wrap up on November 1 with a home fixture against the North Shore Mariners.
Brad Banks' first grade side will have to wait a little longer to begin their modified premiership season, involving one full home and away round - with kick-off not expected until late July.
This will be followed by a two-week final series (1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3) and an October grand final.
"We also want to continue to provide our local communities with a solid pathway for our young girls and women looking to improve upon and further their football ability."
Wright, despite only being president since September, believes he has the right committee in place, to take the club to new heights for years to come.
"Southern Branch FC is based at South Nowra's Ison Park and is made up from representative players from Wollongong to the Victorian border and to the west from the Southern Highlands to Yass," Wright, who highlighted the work of the club's technical director John Boon, said.
"We are looking to open up relationships with schools, sporting bodies and local clubs throughout our massive geographical region to promote and nurture this wonderful sporting opportunity.
"Southern Branch FC envisages further consolidation and improvement in all aspects of our club, both on and off the field.
"The club provides a real pathway for local talented female players aspiring to just better themselves, challenge themselves further in the elite state league, take the opportunity to pursue a football career or even progress further into the various national team programs with ultimate selection to the full Matildas."