A Little History
Kings has a unique history and place in the development of football in Australia. On a wintery afternoon on 14 August 1880, the first game of football was played on The King’s School field in Parramatta Park. (now known as The Old King’s Oval and still in use in Parramatta Park and Heritage Listed). The home team turned out in sky-blue and white jerseys and socks and dark knickerbockers, the colours the boys still take to the field in today. Their rivals were a club formed only the previous week at a meeting held in Aaron’s Exchange Hotel (then in Gresham Street Sydney, a meeting place of gentlemen sportsmen). This meeting of around 40 gentlemen decided the game of association football would be played under the English Association rules.. The team was christened ‘The Wanderers” and in spite of their hasty assemblage they whitewashed The King’s School side, five goals to nil. You may see that our main oval is named Wanderers in recognition of this connection.
The JS White Oval at the current location of The King’s School is a recreation of The Old King’s Oval including the size and height of pickets in the surrounding picket fence.
Football in Kings is making history – it has the highest growth of any sports in Kings and has over 490 boys participating. There have been several Kings boys who have gone on to play at an elite level; Travis Cooper (2011) played in Holland for VVV Venlo and is now plying his trade with The Newcastle Jets in the ‘A League’, Joe Schirippa (2000) trialled with Ipswich Town and had a long career in Sydney with Northern Spirit and Manly, Joe Lee (2012) won a Scholarship to the University of Tennessee in the USA. Among our coaches we have ex-English professional (Portsmouth) and Master-In-Charge, Peter Denyer and former Newcastle Breakers and Fiji National Coach, Lee Sterrey.
The Objectives of The King’s School Football Club are:
- To foster and develop the game of football in The King’s School (TKS).
- To provide support in developing the skills and abilities of all TKS players and coaches.
- To encourage parents, Old Boys, pupils and families to participate in supporting TKS football.
- To provide opportunities for TKS players to enjoy touring and other benefits of football.
- To assist in the improvement of the facilities for TKS football.
- To raise funds for supporting the above objectives.
Matters relating to aspects of coaching and how football is run, organised and managed are under the jurisdiction of the Master in Charge of Football – Peter Denyer.
The Club’s Constitution can be downloaded HERE