TIME has been called on the Port Macquarie Boardriders’ hopes, with the team unable to enter the 2018 Hastings League competition.
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The inability to confirm playing numbers and a lack of sponsorship brought on by the uncertainty of their training and playing facilities ultimately led to secretary Jim McCormack making the tough call.
“Everything seems to be stacked against us so we have no chance of playing this year,” he said.
“There is a demand on sporting fields in Port Macquarie which we understand, but it’s very disappointing that we are the ones that get shafted.”
The club were offered a junior field with no lights at Port Macquarie, or the Lake Cathie Sporting Complex as their base, something unable to be considered for sponsorship reasons.
“A bit better communication and a few little things but there’s nothing we can do now,” McCormack said.
“To be positive we now know we can build towards 2019 and try and get the club going again.
“We enjoyed being at Lake Cathie, but there was no sponsorship from it. No one from Port Macquarie wants to sponsor a Port Macquarie team who can only train and play in Lake Cathie.”
It’s very disappointing that we are the ones that get shafted.
- Jim McCormack
McCormack said he was not averse to renaming the team if need be.
“If we find sponsorship in Lake Cathie then maybe we can change the name and be the Lake Cathie Boardriders, but who knows,” he said.
“It all depends on what we can do this coming year to get back in 2019.”
Kodi Baird, president, said a lack of players was a huge factor.
“My honest opinion is there not enough players in the town to field a team this year,” he said.
“We have the Breakers, Sharks, Vikings and Pirates which makes it hard, plus other Hastings league clubs are filled with Port locals.”
The Boardriders folded in 2012, and missed the 2013 and 2014 seasons before coming back into the competition.
Both Baird and McCormack have expressed interest in affiliating the Boardriders with Group 3’s Port Macquarie Sharks.