by Rhia Daniel

It’s puffer jacket season in your Park Lands, as the late May weather brought intermittent showers and sunshine.

On one Saturday morning (27 May) junior soccer and football matches were being played across all four sports fields in Carriageway Park/Tuthangga (Park 17) and the grounds were alive with bright guernseys and children running around.

Watching sports in your Park Lands is a truly unique experience.

Entering Park 17 from Beaumont Road, the smell of wet soil and grass along the path prepares you for a journey into a forest. Following the path around takes you to Victoria Park/Pakapakanthi (Park 16), under a light canopy of trees.

Despite being in plain sight from the Beaumont Road carpark, it feels like a little-known secret to forsake the path and cut across to the four sports fields to Carriageway Park/Tuthangga (Park 17). Although the playing field space is open and vast, it feels tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the inner-city.

*The setting: sports fields seen through the urban forest of Carriageway Park / Tuthangga (Park 17). Pic: Shane Sody*

For a junior soccer game between Immanuel College and Pembroke College, the late May weather was not harsh enough to send spectators to shelter in their cars.

It was early enough in the sporting season to have intermittent days of sunshine, and the open space of the Park Lands made it easier for parents of the players to connect with each other, before the bad weather really sets in.

*Warming up for junior soccer on Carriageway Park / Tuthangga. Pic: Rhia Daniel*

The junior players were treated to a burst of sun for their warm-up, which stayed for the majority of the first half of the game.

Pembroke College featured several strong players, in particular their goalie. In the start of the second half, Pembroke College seemed to make a concentrated effort to channel down the outside wings of the field.

Unfortunately for them, Immanuel College brought their A-game and secured a 13 – 0 victory.

*Pembroke v Immanuel junior soccer on Carriageway Park / Tuthangga. Pic: Rhia Daniel*

A coffee van was parked behind Pembroke’s attacking goal in an unintentional bet that their vehicle would be safe from any wayward shots on goal. The coffee van moved, just as the two teams were due to switch sides at half time, and so stayed immune from stray balls at that end of the field.

Both teams played with so much passion, some kicks necessitated audience participation to fetch the ball; and on three occasions, nearly caused traffic hazards.

Players from both sides were equally excited to successfully execute a “header”, cramming in together under any airborne ball in the hopes of bopping it with their head. On at least two separate occasions, two Immanuel College players respectively almost scored a goal from a header, but it was not to be.

The open green space provides a unique spectator experience. There are no benches or designated seating areas on the sides of the fields. Those wanting to watch the game are welcome to bring their own chair and gather where they’d like. Enticed by the open space, one very young non-participant ran onto the field, and much to everyone’s delight, ironically stopped the play in his excitement to get involved.

It's no secret that green spaces like your Park Lands are of enormous social and environmental benefit, particularly for young people.

*These sport fields in Park 17 are in use all year round. In the warmer months, cricket is the favoured sport here. Pic: Shane Sody*

Your Adelaide Park Lands provide a low-to-no cost area for families to play sports and engage in outside activities, making a healthy lifestyle more accessible to all.