About the VIPERS

Peter Richardson (Website Administrator) pwricho@hotkey.net.au

A brief history of the Fernwood Vipers...

Late in 2004, the FFV extended an invitation to the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League (as well as the Ballarat and District Soccer League) to each enter an open Women's side in the Women's Premier League (WPL), the top level of club competition for female footballers in Victoria.

Despite only a very short period to respond, BASL managed to make it happen and the 2005 WPL season commenced with Bendigo one of two country-based representative women's sides competing for the first time.

Mark Linford who had been coaching a successful BASL Women's Rep squad at recent country and state championships was appointed as the inaugural coach of the Bendigo WPL side, dubbed the Bendigo Vipers. It was undoubtedly a wise appointment, as Mark's business and management skills proved crucial in quickly establishing a solid organizational basis for the Vipers both on and off the ground.

After a 2-0 away loss to Keilor in their first ever WPL encounter, the Vipers quickly bounced back with a 2-0 home win over University of Melbourne in just their second match. Played at the LaTrobe Uni Bendigo Athletics Complex ground at Floera Hill, the scorers on the day were Tonje Smedholen and Kellie Moller.

By the end of their first WPL season, Mark had coached the Bendigo Vipers to a very impressive sixth place with no less than nine wins and four draws. This terrific achievement was justifiably acknowledged and rewarded with Mark being chosen as the 2005 WPL Coach of the Year.

In the same year, one of the younger Vipers, Maika Ruyter-Hooley, was also awarded the Jones-Martin Award for the Victorian Youth Female Footballer of 2005.

They say the second time is always harder than the first, but the Bendigo Vipers, with Mark Linford again at the helm as Head Coach, were determined to continue to move forward in 2006. Starting the 2006 season with a 5-0 away demolition of Brimbank (with no less than five separate Vipers goal-scorers), the Bendigo Vipers went down to Keilor away in an amazing match that finished with a 5-4 scoreline. Ultimately the Bendigo Vipers finished their second WPL season in 7th place, having won more games than in 2005 (ten wines, along with two draws) - again a very competitive result.

Bendigo Vipers' performances in the latter half of the 2006 season were however hampered by increasing difficulties with squad numbers, for away matches especially. The Bendigo Vipers had been established as a representative squad, drawing upon BASL-registered players who were able to choose on a week by week basis whether to play for the Vipers in the WPL or for their local Club in a domestic BASL competition. A combination of the travel demands (costs and time) involved with WPL competition, and the pull of local club loyalties, had increasingly made it hard to put two fresh Vipers teams on the park each week (firsts and reserves).

Because of increasing work pressures, Mark Linford stepped back from the Vipers, and respected local BASL Club coach, Golden City's Barry Hogan, was appointed Vipers Head Coach for the 2007 WPL season, joined by Peter Richardson as Assistant Coach. But the difficulties which had surfaced in 2006, continued in 2007 and made the task of just getting two competitive Vipers teams on the field each week a major challenge. At the midpoint of the 2007 WPL season, the Vipers had just one win and one draw, and were looking in serious danger of relegation. A crisis meeting was held and BASL approved the recommendation from the Vipers coaching staff to open up eligibility criteria and invite players from the nearby Shepparton-based North-Eastern Soccer League (NESL) in an effort to boost the Vipers squad and prospects.

The Vipers recruiting drive helped to boost performances in the second half of the 2007 season, with three wins and two draws helping the Vipers to stay in the WPL. With their 1st Sep'07 narrow 1-0 home win over Uni of Melbourne, the Bendigo Vipers managed to push up to a 10th place finish, just avoiding relegation from the WPL with just one game to go. For reports and results from the 2007 (and subsequent seasons) use the links on the Vipers Reports webpage.

After the 2007 season, recommendations to try and secure the future of the Vipers were put to the BASL committee, the most important of which was that the expansion of the Vipers' catchment that had occurred in mid-2007 be extended to include an even broader regional pool of players. AWFA (Albury-Wodonga) and NESL (Shepparton) leagues both took up the BASL invitation and endorsed an FFV-backed proposal to re-define the Vipers as a WPL representative squad for players from across northern Victoria.

So the 2008 WPL season marked a new phase for the Vipers as the elite development pathway to the WPL for the best female footballers from the Loddon-Mallee and Goulbourn-NorthEast Zones. After twelve pre-season training sessions run in Bendigo, Benalla and Shepparton between Nov'07 and Mar'08, the 2008 Vipers squad comprised a very young group of players from Benalla (4), Bendigo (8), Castlemaine (9), Moama (6) and a number of NESL clubs (5).

Despite the lack of experience in the squad, the Vipers, backed by new sponsor, Fernwood Bendigo, met the challenging step up to the top standard with determination and energy. After reaching 6th position at the midway point of the season, the Vipers finally finished 2008 in 8th position on the WPL ladder with five wins and six draws - including a win or draw against all five WPL finalists.

For such a young squad (five 14yo’s, six 15yo’s, six 16yo’s, two 17yo’s, three 18yo’s, two 19yo’s, three 20yo’s, and only 5 players older than 21) 2008 was a terrific achievement for these promising players. The 2008 season was topped off for the Vipers when two players, defender Maika Ruyter-Hooley and attacking midfielder Sarah Richardson were both selected in the Melbourne Victory Women's team in the inaugural W-League. Maika's consistently excellent performances subsequently earned her an invitation to trial with the Matildas while 16-year-old Sarah travelled to Shanghai with an MVWFC touring party in early April'09.

These achievements, coupled with the FFV's introduction of a zone-based, statewide Summer League to boost elite player development across the state, clearly helped drive interest in the Vipers and the WPL. The Vipers started the 2009 season with well over 30 players, including a new contingent of promising youngsters from both the Goulburn-North-East and Loddon-Mallee zones. The Vipers continued to be a very young squad with a strong developmental focus – with an average age below 19 years, and over half the players 17 or less, the lack of experience was always going to be a significant challenge. Unfortunately, late changes to the NTC-Melbourne Victory Women's squad rules meant that Maika Ruyter-Hooley was unable to play for the Vipers in 2009. The loss of Maika's dominating composure and skill certainly undermined the Vipers early season performances, as the young team struggled for confidence in her absence. Although many players understandably took some time to accustomize themselves to the intensity, pace and physicality of the WPL in both the firsts and reserves, as the season progressed the character and potential of the Vipers players shone through in some impressive onfield displays.

The 2009 Vipers further consolidated a growing reputation amongst opposition teams and supporters for our rapidly improving tactical and technical performances, and especially for our fantastic team spirit. Despite the stressful threat of relegation hanging over our heads for a good part of the season, as the 2009 season progressed, both performance levels and self-belief grew steadily, and a raft of young Vipers players were selected in FFV State Girls squads at both U15 and U17 levels.

The return of these state squad players after the National Youth Championships in Coffs Harbour in early July lifted the Vipers firsts to a crucial 3-2 away win over Geelong. This must-win game all but secured the Vipers place in the WPL for 2010, and was the start of a strong finish to the 2009 season. This culminated in fantastic Vipers performances against all four WPL finalists, including a draw and narrow loss against Grand Final sides, Heidelberg and Box Hill respectively. The inspirational performance of the Vipers firsts team to defeat Ashburton 1-0 away in the final round of the season (which knocked the home side out of finals contention) was a tribute to the perseverance and skill of the team, and a promising indication of the Vipers’ prospects for 2010.

Another highlight was the Vipers - Melbourne Victory Female Football Gala Day held in Shepparton on Sat 1st August (in place of a bye) – both Victory and Vipers coaches and players were involved in a coaching clinic enjoyed by a huge crowd of keen young girls. Following this, a very competitive and entertaining practice match of three 30-minute thirds was played, which Melbourne Victory ultimately won 5-2, though all 22 Vipers players who had a run on the day acquitted themselves very well. Paige Conder gave both the home crowd and her team-mates a lift with the two goals of the day, two fantastic dead-ball strikes.

The two most senior Vipers players both reached landmarks in 2009, with the unstoppable Lyn West finally hanging up her Vipers boots at the end of the season, and goal-keeping stalwart, Kristen O’Connor, making her 100th WPL appearance in round 17.

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