Geelong Regional Football Committee ("GRFC") (previouslyGeelong Region Football Association (GRFA) and previouslyWestern Victoria Soccer Association) is the governing body of soccer in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is a sub-committee of governing body Football Victoria (previously Football Federation Victoria).
It organises local Geelong community competitions which consist of Miniroos & MiniTillies from ages 7 to 9 years plus Junior Divisions from ages 11 to 18. Member Clubs also contain Mens & Womens teams; both Senior and Reserve team.
GRFC's representative squads compete in the Annual tournament of the Country Championships, an annual Junior tournament established in 1978 by the Country Leagues Football Association (CLFA). It attracts both male and female regional representative players aged 11 years to 17 years old, coaches, officials and spectators over 3 days of competition, to determine and crown State Champions. The Event takes place each year in June on the King's Birthday long weekend. Each year Geelong competes against teams from all over Regional Victoria including Bendigo, Shepparton, Moama-Echuca, Albury/Wodonga, Gippsland, Goulburn, Latrobe Valley, Swan Hill, South West Victoria and Sunraysia.
1914. Geelong City club is formed. Their first match is played against the Naval College team (Osbourne house, North Geelong).[4][5]
1914. Geelong City play Fitzroy, then play Yarraville at the Federal Woollen Mills ground in North Geelong. A match is arranged with Melbourne Thistle at Baker's oval in Geelong West[6][7][8]
1920. 'Some two thousand people' watch a charity match on Monday, 26 April, 1920. It was played at Geelong Oval between a team from the crew from warship HMAS Platypus and the Victorian Amateur British Football Association team Windsor.[9]
1924. Geelong United plays its first league match against Melbourne Welsh at the Hope Street ground in Geelong West.[10]
1926. The Geelong and District Soccer League is formed. There are seven teams in the Geelong league: Geelong City, Ford Recreation Club, Valley Worsted Mills, Overseas Club, Queenscliff Garrison, HMAS Brisbane and North Geelong. Geelong United who were playing in the Melbourne competition are disbanded to get the league launched [11]
1927. New clubs Caledonians and Union Jack are formed.
1929. Federal Woollen Mills and Geelong Wanderers entered the league.
1930/31. The Great Depression takes hold across Australia. Only four teams remain in the league in 1930, the league folds in 1931.[12]
1934. Geelong United is revived to play in the Melbourne metropolitan competition.
1950. Geelong United, Geelong Celtic, International Harvester and Industrial Service Engineers play in the league. [13]
1952. A club named Geelong was founded.
1954/1955 seasons that Geelong club became the IAMA club (Italian Australian Migrants Association).
In 1957 Footscray's Croatia club was brought to Geelong for a short period.
By 1958 there were eight teams; British, Corio(German), Olympia 1 and 2 (Dutch), DSG (Dutch Society of Geelong), Ukrania, Scottish and Toldi (Hungarian).
1958. Geelong Macedonia Soccer Club is established, based out of Harold Hurst Reserve in Herne Hill - later known as Geelong SC.
1959. Bell Park Sports Club was founded by Frank Vanjek and Gino Tromba.
1964. Brintons Soccer Club formed that would later become Breakwater Eagles.[15]
1964 and 1965. Bell Park are the undefeated champions.
1965. West Geelong, the second local Macedonian club was formed.[13]
1981. Councillor Gerry Smith presided over the formation of The Association of Geelong Soccer Clubs. Aiming to create a National Soccer League team in Geelong.