Colin O’Donnell has been President of the Southern Breakers Soccer Club at Port Elliot for the past five years and in that time he’s helped the club’s junior teams make the move to the Football South Australia leagues.

He also managed to get the club to field its first ever girls team who will next year compete in the Football South Australia U15 league after a great season in the Under 13s this year.

A native of Thornlie in Western Australia, Colin spent more then 20 years in the army before moving to the Fleurieu with wife Jodie, son Judd and daughter Kayte who are all also heavily involved with the Breakers.

He’s now lived here for 12 years and says it’s a great place to bring up kids with many outdoor activities and particularly enjoys jet skiing on the River Murray when he can.

He recommends the coffee made by Peter and Carly at Caffe De Carlo in the Goolwa Shopping Centre and the beautiful meals at Blues Restaurant in Middleton.

Colin says he’d like to see more girls playing soccer for the Breakers in years to come. He coached the inaugural U13s team this year and they came runners up, beating most of the big clubs in Adelaide. 

“I would also like to see our juniors coming through the age groups and playing for the seniors team,” Colin said. “Maybe the seniors team joining the Football SA State League as well.”

He also wants to make the club as inclusive as possible, with soccer available to all at an affordable price.

With 250 players currently and visiting teams from Adelaide (who usually stay overnight and support local businesses) the club will look to upgrade its current facilities in coming years. It currently shares the aging clubhouse and changerooms of the Port Elliot Football Club (which merged with Goolwa some years ago) with the Port Elliot Cricket Club.

Colin’s philosophy is that you need to work hard to achieve in life and he’s certainly put some seriously hard work into the soccer club in the last five years.

Come next winter he’ll be back at Breaker Park every Saturday and Sunday, coaching, cheering, organising, working in the canteen and doing all the other jobs that he finds time to do to keep to club growing and growing.

The club is always on the lookout for senior and junior players. For more information see their website southernbreakers.com.au/contact