In the early 1970s, several local families from the small communities
of Bundeena and Maianbar decided that a soccer club would be a great
way to provide children of all ages with a sporting club and game from
which athletic and social development could be achieved. However there
was no sports field or facilities in the villages where the kids could
play, train or hold competition games. Most of the time it was practice
down at Bonnie Vale where the open spaces of the camping grounds and
picnic areas enabled training.
There were many families involved, including, but not limited to the
Rossiters, the Reids, the Allens, the Bleaches and many more, along
with the volunteer fire fighters stationed in each village and a host
of local identities who joined in to assist in some form, created
Bundeena Oval. After dodging the snakes and other wildlife, the oval
came into reality in the early 70s with many teams playing their first
competition games in 1973.
Without a great population base in the area to form teams of respective
age groups and with limited resources the enthusiasm required amounted
to more than the basics. With financial assistance and backing from the
local RSL Club, the Bundeena Maianbar Soccer Club was able to join the
Association’s competition. Slowly as with all progressing communities,
the children and older ‘past champions of earlier times’ joined in and
soon senior men and women teams were playing on Sundays. With the new
families, the very junior members of society were eager to play and the
first of the Rooball Teams were in amongst the scene. By the late 70s
and early 80s the Club had developed into a small but determined
identity and were striving for their first premiership.
As the Club progressed, membership along with the population of each
village grew and the Council built toilets and a small canteen facility
behind the fire station. The main oval improved with better drainage,
lighting and soon a second field for the Rooball teams was under way.
The deer and wallabies help fertilise the grass and keep it at a
thickness that make playing a pleasure and even today, when most other
fields are washed out or dust heaps, the Bundeena Oval is always
playable.
The Club, like all others, has seen changes and ups and down of various
degrees, throughout the good times and other, the resilience of the
membership and the sporting ideal has resulted in the Club and
membership becoming stronger.
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History
