CLUB HISTORY
The Windermere Sports Club was formed in 1976 in the expanding Werribee suburb of "Windermere", which was later renamed to Wyndham Vale in 1977. The change was made due to there already being a suburb called "Windermere" at Ballarat.
The Club initially started as a junior football club, which entered teams in the now defunct Western Suburban Football League (WSFL), with the U/10 team winning the Club's first premiership in the first year of competition. For many years the Club operated from what they called "the tin shed" at Honour Avenue Reserve, until the council built new social rooms in the mid 1980's.
In 1985, the first Senior team was fielded in the Reserve Division of the WSFL. Halfway through the season due to the huge number of players joining the Club, a second team was entered into the same competition. The original team played off in the finals that same year.
The Club enjoyed its first successful year in the 1986 season, fielding teams in U/10, U/12, U/14, U/16, as well as A2 & A3 Seniors. The U/10 team only lost one game on the way to a premiership, while the U/12 team finished runners up to Hoppers Crossing. The A3 Reserves side won the flag, while the A2 Seniors just failed to make the top four.
1st Premiership Team
Under 10
Wyndhamvale FC then fielded a Senior team in the GDFL during the 1987 season, with its first win coming in Round 6, (Wyndhamvale: 4.15 - 39 def. Bannockburn: 2.5 – 17).
The Seniors and Reserves went into Recess from 1995 to 1998, while the Juniors continued to play on in the Footscray District Football League (FDFL). Junior success was experienced in 1996 with the U/12B team winning the premiership. This was then followed up by the U/12C and U/14B sides in 1998.
The Seniors resumed playing in 1999, joining the Western Region Football League (WRFL) Division 2 competition. The Juniors also joined the WRFL in the same year.
The Wyndhamvale Football Club were also pioneers in Female Football. In 2005 the Club fielded an U/18 Girls team in the first ever Youth Girl competition in Victoria, and took home the flag in the same year. The team then made it back to back premierships in 2006, before just missing out on the trifecta in 2007 when they were runners up to Sunbury.
After struggling through their early senior years in the WRFL, the Wyndhamvale Football Club surged towards the top end of the table with both Seniors and Reserves sides appearing in the Division 2 final series from 2011 through to 2015. The Reserves making the Grand Final in 2012, and the Seniors back to back Preliminary Finals appearances in 2011 and 2012.
2015 WRFL Division 2 Premiers
The Falcons also fielded a Senior Women's side which went deep into the final series of the Victoria Women's Football League in 2013. This effort was then followed up in 2014, with the team taking out the VWFL Division 3 premiership.
In 2014, the Reserves saluted as premiers, defeating Parkside (7.11 – 53 to 6.9 – 45). The Wyndhamvale Seniors finally broke the drought in 2015 by smashing their way to a WRFL 2nd Division premiership, defeating West Footscray (17.12 - 114 to 10.5 – 65). The victory saw the Club move up into the WRFL Division 1 competition in 2016, where they remained until the end of the 2018 season.
The Senior football sojourn in Division 1 wasn’t overly successful from a wins and losses perspective, though many of the core group remained and some famous victories and stand out player performances occurred. Overall the club gained valuable experience at the top level, ensuring we will be well prepared to return when the time comes.
Upon returning to Division 2 the Seniors won the 2019 minor premiership and made it to the Grand Final before falling short against Yarraville. The season was cancelled in 2020 during COVID-19, and in 2021 the Seniors put together another strong season, claiming the minor premiership before the season was again cut short due to COVID. The Reserves side took a bit longer to return to form following the Division 1 struggle, though they rebounded in a big way in 2022, winning the Premiership from 4th position, defeating Parkside (12.19 – 81 to 9.5 – 59). They would finish 2nd in 2023 before falling short in the Grand Final.
The most recent success in the Junior program was a 2019 Under 14s Premiership.
In 2021 the club entered a side in the recently formed WRFL Women’s competition. After a slow-build, the side improved year on year, recently culminating in a Minor Premiership and Grand Final appearance in 2023, continuing the club’s history of a strong Women’s program. The club also fielded a Men’s Thirds side for the firsty time in 2023, competing in the RDFNL Club 18’s competition.
Looking forward to the future, the club is focused on bolstering the junior program and sustaining the recent successes of the Senior Men’s and Women’s sides. Located in a high growth area, there is hope and belief Wyndhamvale FC will be a power for years to come.
