GSSA 2025: President Jamie Steele looking forward to packed new season featuring nearly 700 players weekly
The 2025 Great Southern Soccer Association officially starts this week with the first of the women's premier division games kicking off on Friday and the men's premier league commencing on Saturday.
Five teams will make up the senior men's league competition with Polonia, Bayswater, Rovers, Albany Caledonians and Phoenix to go head-to-head throughout the season.
The senior women's league will be made up of five teams: Albany Caledonians, Denmark, Rovers, Sharks and Phoenix.
The 2025 season will have nearly 700 players across 40 teams play in the expanding sport until it wraps up in September.
GSSA president Jamie Steele said the competition is only going to get 'bigger and bigger' with people showing an increasing interest in the sport.
'There are a number of new people, especially women, to the game, and also a number of returning masters players are coming back to kick the ball,' he said.
'The on-going indoor soccer league will be happening alongside our normal outdoor league — it's a great opportunity for people new to the game to come have a look and get involved, which is held at the new Albany Indoor Sport Centre on Cockburn Road.'
He said the season would also include Sunday masters games for over-40s players.
Steele said a number of the highlights of the season will include 'local rivalries' and 'blockbuster games' throughout the year.
'The introduction of the new women's development league is a reflection of how many women are wanting to play,' he said.
'We are also introducing our masters games on Sundays which is a focus for us this year as well as the indoor centre and our representative sides that will play some exhibition matches against some top Perth teams.'
Steel, who has sat on the GSSA board for more than seven years and held the role of president for three, said a highlight over the years has been the growth of the association and the game within the Great Southern community.
'The highlights have been seeing the association grow and to create positive relationships with governing bodies within our game, including our city who backed us and Perth Glory to bring the A-League match to Centennial Park last year,' he said.
'The new indoor centre has been a great asset to our sport and others — we worked solidly for over a year to make it happen alongside Cricket Great Southern, the City of Albany and the Albany Agricultural Society.'
He said the GSSA executive team had worked to make the game inviting, sustainable and exciting for players.
'I'm looking forward to the introduction of the senior country week and to see our best players represent the region in Perth, and lastly to see and work with our amazing volunteers that week-in week-out do so much for our sport,' he said.
Great Southern Soccer Association round one fixtures
Senior Women's League
Friday
Phoenix vs Denmark 8pm
Albany Caledonian vs Rovers 8pm
Sharks - bye
Senior Men's League
Saturday
Polonia vs Bayswater 6pm
Rovers vs Phoenix 6pm
Albany Caledonian - bye
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