Campbelltown City Soccer Club is a historic club from Adelaide, South Australia. They are the biggest NPL club in Adelaide and are proud to be so. They started out in 1963 with a story that proves if you believe something, you can achieve it.
The ‘part time Sunday afternoon soccer players’ had had enough of playing on their rough and dangerous field. A group of the local guys, including Joe Natale, saw a competitive soccer match and decided they were good enough for that, so they decided to make their own team. After much research and preparation, the Campbelltown City Soccer Club was formed, starting with just a tin shed and good spirit.
They have adopted the nickname the ‘Red Devils’ coming from their traditional colours of red and white. They have had a successful career as a club, holding many trophies and titles to their name including the NPL South Australia Champions and FFSA Premierships.
Mark Zito is the travel/tournament manager at the club for the Kanga Cup, and he is proud of the club’s success and diversity in all age groups. The club has had some experience at Kanga Cup, and they are looking forward to making it a tradition.
Now that the club has Zito, who has travelled for Kanga Cup 15 times with Adelaide City FC, they are coming back in a different format with the new recruit. He believes it is a very special event for the kids and is a big fan of the tournament.
“We came last year in 2024 with one under 14’s boys team and enjoyed the tournament and want to make it a yearly fixture at Campbelltown City Soccer Club.” Zito told Kanga Cup.
“We entered the Kanga Cup because we wanted to give our players an opportunity to travel as a team and play tournament football within Australia.”
The experience of the competition is a major part of why most teams come over to Canberra. Whether they are bonding as a group or excited to explore a new place, there are plenty of ways to fill your time here. Zito’s team is looking for a good bonding and competitive experience.
“We are hoping to get a very good experience in football and in travelling as a group and as athletes,” Zito explained. “We are hoping to get a chance to play against other clubs around Australia and make new friends at the same time.
“We will be visiting the AIS pool and go on a tour of the AIS. We will be visiting the war memorial and go for a drive around Canberra.”
Finally, the Kanga Cup brings special memories, knowledge and excitement to the participants and anyone that gets involved. Although it is a junior competition, many teams get to experience what it is like as a professional player who would travel with their team. This then encourages players to continue to have more fun memories and trips like this.
“Hopefully it will be a fantastic experience for our kids to travel as a team, eat and sleep as a team, and travel as it would be like as a professional player would,” Zito confirmed. “Hopefully the tournament is going to be fun and a good experience for all players and officials.”
