Congratulations to the Bond Bullsharks’ men’s soccer team who brought home the championship trophy in the Football Gold Coast mid-week Metro League.
In their very first Grand Final appearance, the Bullsharks played a hard-fought match against rivals, Palm Beach, to claim a 1-0 victory in the Grand Final, cheered on by a home-ground crowd at the Bond Bullsharks’ field.
Their Grand Final outing had been six years in the making, with two players – James Fitchett and Azhar Toodayan – having been with the team since their Metro League debut back in 2012.
In that time, they have made the finals on two occasions, with a third place season finish in 2015, making this year their first Grand Final appearance.
“The Grand Final was a culmination of the team’s amazing efforts right throughout the season,” said Sean Johnson who took on the role of Head Coach this year based on his experience playing for Radford University in the USA’s Division 1 collegiate soccer competition.
“There isn’t anything these boys haven’t been able to overcome – injuries, finals, internships, classes, assignments, homework … you name it.
“They played with heart and fought together as a team to bring home Bond’s first ever soccer championship trophy.”
The Bond team reflects the game’s global appeal with five international players – two from Brazil, one from Japan, one from Singapore and one from Denmark.
It is also “Bond to the core”, with all but one team member being either a current student or an alumnus.
“One of the most gratifying aspects of this season for me has been seeing the fantastic friendships that have been forged,” said Sean.
“Soccer is a universal language that breaks down barriers and creates strong ties, particularly for our English language students, many of whom say that their involvement in the soccer team has been one of the highlights of their time at Bond.”