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U12 North Qld team with Mr Gino Paris (left) at the Cairns Carnival in the early 1980s. Photo supplied
It's time to get the old teams back together, as former FNQ Crocs, Marlins and NQ Canecutters players join generations of young footballers from across Queensland for a special reunion celebrating 70 years of the Gino Paris Carnival.
The anniversary celebration will be held in Townsville this Saturday 17th October, bringing together former players, coaches, managers, referees and supporters to reconnect, reminisce and celebrate one of Queensland's longest-running junior football competitions.
Established in 1956 through the generosity of Ingham businessman Gino Paris, who donated a trophy to encourage junior representative soccer, the Under-12 carnival became a much-anticipated event on Queensland's football calendar.
For seven days, young players from across the state came together to compete, develop their skills and form friendships that often lasted long after the final whistle.
The Cassowary Coast has a proud connection to that history, with the Johnstone River Soccer Association hosting the carnival at Silkwood in 1985 and 2005. In 2005, the NQ Canecutters took home the coveted cup, under manager Geoff Green and coach John Frost.
Among those representing Far North Queensland in the green and gold jerseys of the FNQ Crocs were players from Mission Beach, Tully, Silkwood, Innisfail and surrounding districts.
The 2005 team included Ben Murray, James Orr, Scott Dellaway, Grayson Pedroni, Luke Brown, Matthew Moran and Dylan Bettini, under coach Danny Schmidt, assistant coach Jason Jia and manager Michael Plunkett.
Two decades on, organisers are hoping the anniversary will bring back plenty of familiar faces, rekindle old friendships and revive memories of those junior football days.
A special guest will be Australian football legend Les Scheinflug AM, a former Socceroos captain and national coach who dedicated much of his career to developing young footballers. Inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, Scheinflug is widely regarded as a pioneer of Australian youth football.
The reunion will also recognise the countless volunteers, coaches and families who made the carnival possible, often travelling hundreds of kilometres and giving up a week of their time to support their teams.
For more information, contact Carla Dal Santo on 0438 832 622 or Adriane Paris on (07) 4776 6612, or visit the Gino Paris Carnival 70 Year Anniversary Facebook page.
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