Dear DJFC Members,
As we gather to celebrate the festive season, it is my great honour and privilege to address you for the first time as the new President of the Doncaster Junior Football Club. I am truly humbled to take on this role and follow in the footsteps of our extraordinary outgoing President, Corey Bakes.
Corey has been a pillar of our club, dedicating himself tirelessly over the past two seasons to establish our Under 8s and Under 9s teams, making DJFC a beacon in the Manningham community. His remarkable leadership earned DJFC recognition as Manningham’s Highly Commended Community Organization of the Year in 2023, while Corey himself was deservedly named the YJFL Volunteer of the Year in the same year.
From orchestrating a memorable clinic with the Collingwood team at Schramms Reserve in April, to hosting key YJFL events such as our Under 8s Day and two weeks of successful finals, Corey’s impact on our Club has been profound. His contributions culminated in being awarded a DJFC Life Membership—a testament to his incredible service since 2017 across various roles, including Auskick Coordinator, coach, secretary, and president.
Fortunately for all of us, Corey will remain part of the DJFC family as our Head of recruitment and League delegate for 2025. I know I can rely on his wisdom as I navigate the responsibilities of this role. Corey, thank you for your unparalleled dedication and the legacy you leave behind.
I’d also like to express my deepest gratitude to our amazing Committee members. The success of this Club would not be possible without their hard work and support. A special acknowledgment to those who are stepping down this year:
Josh Holmes, our Vice President and media coordinator, who has also contributed as a team manager and event organizer over the years.
John De Rango, who has been an exceptional coach, coaching director, and football operations leader during his son James’ journey from Auskick to his final junior game this season.
Lydia and Peter Tsafkopoulos, who have contributed so much through coaching, event management, and Lydia’s seamless handling of the Team Manager role for several seasons.
Danni Grimbos, our merchandise officer, whose keen eye and organizational skills ensured every player had what they needed. Danni and Lydia’s efforts in organizing unforgettable fundraising events also deserve our heartfelt thanks.
Your contributions have shaped the Club into what it is today, and your efforts will always be remembered.
Looking ahead, I’m thrilled to welcome our new Committee members who were nominated at our recent AGM.
John Coutsouvelis as Vice President
Stephanie Hanson as Sponsorship Manager
Vito and Fia Monitto as Media Managers
Sarina Coutsouvelis as Merchandise Manager
And, of course, our committee stalwart and favourite Treasurer, Chris Grimbos, who continues in his vital role. A special thank you to John and Sarina Coutsouvelis, whose selfless commitment to the Club persists even without children currently playing—an inspiring example of DJFC’s enduring community spirit.
It would also like to acknowledge two other general committee members. Firstly, Mal Dabab who was ‘torn in allegiances’ in having to team manage at a neighbouring Club whilst one of her sons played there on a permit. She still remained committed to the DJFC as her youngest son played in the Under 13s. A special thanks also to Leandra Martin whose immense involvement at the Club also saw her awarded Life Membership in 2024.
We still have some positions we’d like to fill for Season 2025, so if you’re keen to join our committee please reach out to myself or the committee executive members for a chat.
A special mention and sincere gratitude go to the Templestowe and Surrey Park Junior Football Clubs’ players and parents who committed their respective Under 10s and Under12s teams to play as merged teams with the DJFC in those age groups. We thank presidents Lucy Halliburton of the Templestowe Junior Football Club and Rohan Sutherland of the Surrey Park Junior Football Club for making the merges possible and most importantly giving their respective players and our players an opportunity to play in 2024 rather than having to find and start at new Clubs.
To our incredible coaches—Grant Hanson, Farooq Mohammad, Gaurav Desai, Finn Hombergen, Dirk Visser, Jason Flottl, Tim Hale, Luke Hueston (Surrey Park JFC), Richard Pearce, and our YJFL Coach of the Year, Steve Yianni—you’ve gone above and beyond this year, and I know you’ll continue to inspire and guide our players into the next season.
Let’s not forget to praise our Team Managers who all managed each of their teams flawlessly and to the many parents who battled the cold and trying winter mornings to get our players to their games on time and those who took on various roles for game day.
To the stars of our Club—our players—congratulations on an outstanding season. You’ve made us all immensely proud, and we cannot wait to see you take the next steps in your football journey at DJFC.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to kick off 2025 by offering our players the opportunity to participate in an additional football program by Vida Footy starting in early February. Keep an eye on your emails and socials for dates and venue, as AFL players will join us in these sessions to share tips and drills.
Finally, on behalf of the DJFC Committee, I wish all the members of the DJFC community, a joyful and safe Christmas and New Year and a wonderful holiday Season. Here’s to an exciting and successful 2025 season for the Doncaster Junior Football Club.
P.S Be sure to register before February 1, 2025, to save up to $70 on your registration.
Go to our ‘new’ website https://doncasterjfc.com and click on the ‘Register Now’ button
Sincerely,
Roland “Rolly” Frasca
President, Doncaster Junior Football Club
