COFFS City United have lifted the 2025 Tony Barselaar Memorial Shield, but it was Woolgoolga United who walked away with major bragging rights, after a fierce three-day football showdown at the Coffs Coast Synthetics.
While Coffs claimed the shield by winning four of the six fixtures, Woolgoolga delivered in the two top tier competitions – claiming victory in both the Men’s and Women’s Premier League matches.
Coffs United president and junior coach Glen Williams says the result is only part of the story.
“The Tony Barselaar Memorial Shield is more than just a game,” Williams said.
“It’s a tribute to a man whose legacy still echoes through the football community on the Coffs Coast.”
Barselaar was a trailblazer in local football circles.
A Premier League coaching pioneer in the 1980s, he went on to shape generations of players at both Coffs United and Woolgoolga FC.
But it wasn’t just tactics and team talks that defined Tony’s contribution.
He also developed a specialised goalkeeper training program, one that remains embedded in both clubs’ coaching DNA.
“Tony’s passion for developing talent was unmatched,” Williams said.
“It ran deep in the family too.
“All three of Barselaar’s sons, John, Robbie and Laurie, pulled on jerseys for both Coffs United and Woopi during their playing days.
“Robbie now serves as Vice President of Woolgoolga FC, helping steer the club his father once helped shape.
“Now in its 25th year, the Shield has become more than just an annual fixture.
“It’s a reunion [and] a celebration of community and football.”
Former players coached by Tony still line the sidelines, not just to watch the next generation but to honour a man who gave everything to the game.
By David WIGLEY
