Australian Nationals Sports Club (initially checked by club edited by Anthony)
Established – 1975
Home grounds – Parry Park, Rudd Park (previous)
Previous names – Punchbowl Club
Current members – 155
The Australian National Sports Club (ANSC) was originally established in Bankstown in New South Wales. It shifted to Canterbury in 1975 to participate in the CDSFA amateur competition.
In 1978 the Club moved south to the St George district and played under the St George banner.
So popular was its fabulous Grand Final victory that year that the President of the district personally bestowed on them permanent membership of the St George district.
However, ANSC players have always been Canterbury men, so back to the CDSFA they returned the following season, replacing their traditional white shirts with the now famous maroon/white colours that are still worn today.
As it could not perform as a separate entity, it participated under the umbrella of Punchbowl Club for approximately 12 months until it established its own identity with the CDSFA.
The Club, in order to gain recognition in its own right, complied with the rules of the CDSFA by having five junior teams and one senior team.
The home ground at that time was Rudd Park in Belmore. The new home ground is Parry Park Punchbowl.
Over time, the club has not only expanded the number of teams it runs, but has also worked to improve the skills of team members and the grading of their teams.
The Club has approximately 200 players, ranging in ages from six to adult.
Membership is open to all members of the community and is located in an area which has a predominant Arab and Muslim population.
The club recently fielded its first women’s team and currently, all members of that team are Muslim sisters.
The club recognises the need within the local area for increased and better sporting and recreational facilities and public space for young people to assist in the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
ANSC has been playing a pivotal role in creating a positive environment for various cultures to come together, particularly the Arabic-speaking community, by promoting family values and encouraging youth participation in activities that assist in building confidence and self-esteem.
Despite the fact that the Club has been operating for over 30 years from shared facilities and with limited resources, the dedicated and caring volunteers and officials at its helm have led it into making a significant contribution towards the development of the youth in the Canterbury and Bankstown areas.
With the support of the Canterbury City Council and the New South Wales Government, the Club secured the site at Parry Park for a nominal rental approximately 10 years ago for the construction of an indoor sporting and recreation facilities.
The site covers more than 2,000 square metres at 571-577 Punchbowl Road, Punchbowl.
