Cooma Tigers Football Club
The Club was formed back in 1952 by the workforce of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme which attracted people from all walks of life and from all over the world to the Australian Alps. Cooma Football Club is one of the oldest continuous Football Clubs in Australia with a very proud tradition considering the small region in which it resides. The Club is affiliated with Capital Football our regional body and they in turn are affiliated with Football Federation of Australia. The Club was readmitted into the Premier League in 2010 after forming a partnership with one of the junior Clubs in Canberra and caters for all ages from under six to over sixty,
grass fields and a clubhouse with the usual facilities. Past President: Mr Bill Dye, Mr Henk Plaat, Mr Henry Koops, Mr Bill Guysen, Mr Geoff Walker, Mr Gordon Bradley, Mr Len Cox, Mr Ignatzio Mondello, Mr Guilio d’Amico, Mr Ken Silich, Mr David Wilkins, Mr Niel Mackenzie, Mr Cor Van Leeuwen and Mr Nicola Tonini.
with a current combined membership of over 700 players. Considering that the Club is situated in a regional area with a population of approximately 8000 people it is a real credit to the Club to have so many participants. The Club’s home oval is Nijong it has three
Life members Kurt Hopfe, David Wilkins, John Schoon, Ken Silich, Denis Minehan, Mick Klima, Cor Van Leeuwen, David Elliott, Len Cox, Ignatzio Mondello, Ron Schoon, Simon Schoon, Nicola Tonini, Heather Elliott and Brendan Toohey.
Red Devils keeping rugby alive
Records indicate that in June 1887 Cooma played a game of Rugby football against Bega at Bega. The team members were: E. Halliday, T. Goodwin, G. Miller, J. Sullivan, B&H. Edwards, W. Russell and L. Solomon. In 1957 a group of enthusiastic graziers, with some help from the Snowy Mountains Authority personnel and league players, played six social games of Rug-by Union for Coomaa winning five and drawing g one. The chief instigators rs were D. Hickson, J. Keeegan, T. Shorrock, and D. Howard. The team dissbanded in 1958. In 1961/62 Jock and Patatrick Litchfield, Peter Martin-Smith, Ian and Michael hael Litchfield and Jock Mitchell h ll were playing for the Eastern Suburbs in the ACT Rugby competition. At that time the ACT was regarded as a NSW Country Region that participated in Country Week held in Sydney every year, playing against all other country regions. In 1961 Jock Litchfield was selected to captain the NSW Country Rugby team to tour NZ. The rugby officials could see that there was a wealth of rugby talent on the Monaro; Jock was
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approached concerning the possibility of forming a rugby club to represent the district in the ACT competition. This proposed 10team competition covered a
good-sized area of southern NSW. A meeting was held in Cooma where it was decided to form a club to commence playing in the 1963 season. Bruce McDonald, a Snowy McD employee, was electempl President. ed P The 70s and 80s Th saw Cooma men’s and ladies boat race teams undefeated, team Cooma may not Co have won on the hav fieeld but were unbeatable back in be the pub. th In 1988 Cooma cclub celebrated ttheir 25th annivversary and won the first grade
Monaro cup for the first time, coached by John X McGee. Cooma’s next real success was in winning the first grade competition 3 years running, 2000, 2001 and 2002, coached by Bill Garnock. 2003 saw Tim O’Ryan play for Australian Schools and the Australian School boys as did James Price both of whom came up through the juniors. Cooma is proud to have a long list of life members: B Kaufline, B Priest, P Sydney, K Moxon, G Bell, S Weinholtz, P Williams, B Garnock, G Dobbie, B Mattner, J Schofield (dec), M Cesarin, J Buckley, P & M Quodling, M Mayhew, G Litchfield, H Litchfield (dec), S Rolfe and B McCosker.