Golden Gate Australian Football League

March 3, 2002 By Leigh Barnes
G'day one and all, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the brand new Golden Gate Australian Football League (GGAFL) and the 2002 season. A lot has happened since the conclusion of the season last year, so let me take a minute to apprise you of all of the changes.

The CAFL has decided to go into hiatus for a year, allowing each region to develop their own metro league, which we have called the GGAFL. Our new league consists of 4 teams, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Marin and games will be played in each of these areas in the upcoming season. Don't despair, though, lovers and followers of the mighty Santa Cruz Roos, they do indeed still live on. Santa Cruz will represent the league at all tournaments with the team made up of the best players in the GGAFL. The main focus of Santa Cruz is the Nationals being held in Kansas in October, while the aim of the GGAFL is to promote football in the Bay area, and to make sure everybody gets a game and has a great time doing it.

The GGAFL season will kick off in June and will run through October. The season will comprise of around 11 to 12 games run mainly on a two weekend on, one weekend off basis. The weekend off can be used for training and will be in the area where the teams are situated. In addition we will be attending two tournaments, represented by Santa Cruz, one in Denver in July and one in Tahoe in September. A schedule of games will be on our website shortly, or possibly in this newsletter, so you can start planning now for the exciting new season ahead of us.

But wait there's more. To kick off our brand new league and season, we decided to do it with a bang. On June 8, we will have our first training run at Konocti Harbor, on Clear Lake, and then the season will be officially opened by INXS at their outdoor concert. A great time is assured for all, so get your footy gear dusted off, and your vocal cords in order and be there to start the season with a roar.

As this is a open letter to all past and present players, as well as to the Australian/American Chamber of Commerce, I extend an invitation to one and all to be part of the GGAFL and the Santa Cruz Roos for the upcoming season. Please monitor the Roos website for more details as the season approaches, and if you have any questions or queiries, please do not hesitate to drop me a line.

Cheers,

LEIGH BARNES
PRESIDENT