Punchbowl United FC
Established – 2017
Home grounds – Bland and Lance Hutchinson Ovals, Bark Huts Reserve
Current members – 243
Punchbowl United Football Club Incorporated (PUFC) was established in late 2017 after a small group of local individuals embarked on a journey to re-birth football at Punchbowl Park.
Football was previously played for several decades at Punchbowl Park and was the home to the Punchbowl District Soccer Club prior to its closure in the 1990s.
The late Fred Corben, previous president of the Punchbowl District Soccer Club and life member of the CDSFA, built the canteen at Punchbowl Park.
The grandstand that still exists today was named in his honour by the Canterbury City Council.
Punchbowl Park is very rich in history for the CDSFA. For many years, it was the headquarters used by the CDSFA for monthly meetings.
The main oval was also used for inter-association representative fixtures, particularly for the famous youth league.
In November 2017, a small group of young individuals, led by Youcef Kabbara, Natasha Hill, Samer Elkouzi and Nader Tabbaa decided to bring football back to Punchbowl Park.
After affiliation with the CDSFA in late 2017, the club worked extremely hard promoting the game within the local community, engaging with local businesses and the Western Sydney Wanderers to revive the world sport at Punchbowl.
In its inaugural season in 2018, the club managed to register 350 players, consisting of juniors and seniors, both male and female. PUFC broke down the barriers for many locals from a culturally diverse background and welcomed them to play football at almost no cost.
Since the 2018 season, the club has maintained its efforts in reaching out to local community groups, particularly from the middle eastern communities to play football.
In such a short period, the club has already won several premierships in various age groups and divisions and continues to be competitive on the field.
The club still utilises Punchbowl Park for training, but weekend competitive fixtures utilise Bland and Lance Hutchinson Ovals.
2022 will be the club's fifth season, coinciding with the CDSFA's 100th anniversary.
