Woady Yaloak president Adam Liversage with Millie Liversage, Jude Watson, Chloe Nicol and Jackson Davies. Picture by Luke Hemer.

Four years ago Woady Yaloak Football Netball Club was little more than a small group of Auskickers.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

$0/

(min cost $0)

or signup to continue reading

See subscription options

Now, it is an affiliated club of the Ballarat Football Netball League, having been voted in as the 13^th member club, allowing the Warriors to formally compete in junior competitions from next season.

"It's been four years in the making. We've gone from Auskickers four years ago, to putting a couple teams on the park in 2021 to where we are now. It's been an amazing ride," club president Adam Liversage told The Courier.

"Being an affiliated club means we've got sustainability. We can go ahead now and plan.

"We've got a couple of state and federal government grants and while we were invitational they weren't willing to commit those dollars to upgrading our facility in terms of lighting, resurfacing the netball courts and all those sort of things."

Woady Yaloak was established with backing from the Golden Plains Shire Council following the demise of the Smythesdale Football Netball Club and caters to families around Symthesdale and Haddon, towards the growth corridor in Ballarat's west.

Woady Yaloak's attempt to became an affiliated member last year was denied after it failed to reach the required 75 per cent of votes from clubs.

Ruby and Ava Ashmore, Millie Liversage and Jude Watson with Ballarat's Federal MP Catherine King.

The BFNL, who supported last year's attempt, said it was thrilled to welcome its newest club.

"It's fantastic to have Woady Yaloak formally a member of the league after a lot of work to get to this point," BFNL chair Adrian Bettio said.

The Warriors are hoping to field football and netball teams in the under 9, under 11 and under 13 competitions next year.

Over 130 children attended a come and try day on Sunday.

"What was pleasing was the amount of new families that came," Liversage said.

"Even more pleasing was watching local families actually walk to the oval from their houses, which is quite amazing."

The club was planning another come and try day for the end of February, with formal training expected to start around the new school year before the BFNL's junior competitions start on April 16.

Anyone interested in invited to visit the club's Facebook page.

Have you tried The Courier's app? It can be downloaded here.