Formed on Thursday, 14th October 1982, the New Norfolk Junior Football Club continues to serve the local communities throughout the Derwent Valley and Central Highlands.
Our original name, New Norfolk Junior Football League was used until 1984, it was then changed to the New Norfolk Junior Football Association. With the demise of high school football in the early 1990’s our name was last changed to New Norfolk Junior Football Club in 1994 and has continued since.
The driver behind our junior football and its development was Mr Maurice Hughes in 1977 when a group started two local junior teams - one A Grade Under 9 Team and one C Grade Under 9 Team. These two teams played in the Southern Primary School Football Association. Prior to this, the only junior football played was within primary schools during these hours.
By 1982 the number of teams had grown with age groups consisting of Under 9’s, Under 10’s, Under 11’s and Under 12’s. By the end of this season, with a large number of teams now being filled, one controlling body was needed to be formed to administer junior football. With an organised committee put in place to run junior football with-in the New Norfolk District, the future of football was assured. From 1983 the club has consistently fielded U8-U12 teams.
In 1993 all High School Football was in the transition of becoming part of junior football clubs.
That year NNJFC club fielded its first youth team with a U/13’s side. In this same year Southern Primary Junior Football Association and the Eastern Shore Junior Football Association merged to make the Southern Tasmanian Junior Football League (STJFL).
Finally, as our club was expanding to cater for the end of school-based football, in 1994, a U/14’s team was added and then a U/16’s team in 1995, our club would then have a complete set of junior and youth teams age groups.
Through the years not only did our clubs identity change so did our governing body;
1983 – 1984 Southern Primary Football Association
1985 – 1995 Southern Primary & Junior Football Association
1996 – present day Southern Tasmanian Junior Football League
As the seasons passed and with junior and youth football remaining strong, our club would have an historical change within its landscape. The year 2017 will always be remember in our club’s history when an all-girls team ran onto the field for the very first time for NNJFC. From this point forward, the inclusion of female football would have a profound effect on not only our club, but the community. By 2018 our club would then field no less than three girl’s teams having U/11’s, U/13’s and U/17’s of which this team would go on and win our clubs first ever female premiership.
Fast forward to 2023, our club has sustained male and female teams in both junior and youth age groups, providing a pathway to senior football to further players involvement with AFL football.
Written and researched by Wade Gleeson and Ann Burns 2023