Corrimal Rangers Junior Soccer Club was founded in 1952 and is a member of Football South Coast Juniors. Our club caters for children 6 years to 18 years of age, and our aim is to encourage children and parents to learn and enjoy the game of football (soccer).
Prior to 1952 junior teams in the Corrimal area were looked after by the Corrimal Rangers Football Club. In 1952 a junior club was formed with office beareres: President Harry Horton; Vice President Clem Shipton; Secretary Dave Williams; Treasurer Dave James and Coach Bil Daley.
In its first season the club entered three under 12, and two under 14 teams.
The number of teams increased as the years advanced and by the 1960s there were 25 teams playing in the age groups from under 8 to under 16.
The club has produced many representative players at both district and state level and has had some outstanding club sides. One of the most successful of these would be the under 16 side of 1960 coached by Bill Daley and John Shand and managed by Max Weekes.
The team won the district competition and soundly defeated a Canterbury representative side at Memorial Park in a curtain raiser to the Corrimal/Canterbury state league fixture. 5 of the team went on to represent Illawarra and NSW in that year: Dennis Paterson, Phillip Carr, John Nuell, Tony Weekes and Jeff Gibson, the latter four travelling to New Zealand with the state side. All went on to play for South Coast United, Paterson and Carr being the most successful at this level with Paterson going on to play for Australia Under 21s.
The under 14 team of 1971 was another top side, winning the state Champion of Champions competition.
This team under the guidance of Wally Robinson as manager/coach and assisted by Ken Robinson and Peter Weir followed this up reaching the semi- finals of the Champion of Champions the following year and in 1973 again becoming Champion of Champions, this time as under 16s.
Corrimal were again successful at this level in under 16s in 1974, this time Peter Weir was the coach and assisted by Vern Barlogie.
Corrimal has continued to produce successful players throughout the succeeding decades.
The population demographic has changed such that Corrimal is no longer a growth area and the number of junior teams has declined from its peak in the late 1960s and 1970s however Corrimal continues to produce fine soccer players and achieve success in district competitions.
A club must have many good and dedicated workers and officials to be successful and Corrimal has had their fair share.
In the first decades of the 1950s and 1960s Bill Daley (a fine soccer player and cricketer in his own right) provided coaching guidance to Corrimal players and coaches and his influence was to show in the number of district premierships, champion of champions titles, and the number of Corrimal players to represent the district and state in schools and association competitions. Bill along with others such as Clem Shipton, Arthur Kerr and Tom Willoughby provided regular coaching clinics for Corrimal players in the May school vacation.
Wal Robinson became involved in Junior Soccer with his sons Ken, Peter and Steven in the late 1950s.
Wal coached and managed sides and served the club until his passing in the mid 1990s.
Wal’s involvement in Junior Soccer at Corrimal spanned more than thirty five years. A life member of the Corrimal club Wal’s memory continues with the the hosting of the annual Wal Robinson Memorial gala day for Under 9 teams.
There have been many other dedicated people who have contributed to the club throughout the 1980s, 90s and into the new century.
If you have information and knowledge of the Corrimal club we would be pleased to hear from you to build on this story.
Source: Article by Bruce Pleasant and Alan Peace for the Corrimal Rangers centenary publication 1991
Photos are courtesy of the Robinson family and Phil Carr – click them for a larger view