Hakoah FC earns promotion to top NSW youth league

Hakoah FC last weekend earned promotion next season from the NSW State Youth League 2 to the top division, returning there after a five-year absence, a feat celebrated at a special reception by the club.

After the last round of the 2025 regular season, Hakoah finished first on the club championship ladder, which is based on each of the 16 clubs’ four best-performing Youth League 2 teams, with only the top two clubs earning promotion.

The Hakoah FC U18s, U16s and U13s finished in the top four in their competitions – the U18s earning a premiership – and all three of those teams will play in the upcoming finals series.

The promotion marks a remarkable comeback for the youth teams at one of Australia’s oldest football clubs, with a proud Jewish heritage, which will celebrate its 85th anniversary next year.

Hakoah’s youth and SAP program president Ofer Greenberg reflected on the challenging journey that began during the pandemic five years ago, when the club was relegated from the top division due to a change introduced to the competition’s structure.

“We lost 65 per cent of our players that day,” Greenberg recalled at a special presentation last Sunday.

“We could have just gone, it’s too hard – we are not going to be [in the top division] anymore, but no … Michael Synnott, Mark Skurnik and myself said. And then we started recruiting.”

The club’s response demonstrated the community spirit that defines Hakoah.

“We said, our objective is to build a club that people want to come play for, and belong to. And if we can do that, and get to that point, then success will come.”

That success took five years of dedicated rebuilding, focusing on quality coaching, player development, unity and a positive, supportive and motivating club culture.

Year on year there were giant leaps made and continual improvement in terms of results.

This season began with an all-club pre-camp at Narrabeen, which produced not only a united focus and goal, but cemented the bonds between players, teams, coaches, management, parents and supporters.

Three of Hakoah’s five State Youth League 2 teams went on to make the top four, and earn valuable championship ladder points for the club – particularly the U18 boys, who feature Jewish players captain Daniel Gordon and Shannon Selby.

“They have been our most prolific team and had only four losses in the whole season,” Greenberg said.

The club’s commitment to developing Jewish players continues.

Former Hakoah junior Zac Sapsford, now 22, went on to play in the A-League for the Western Sydney Wanderers, and is now the top goalscorer for Dundee United so far in the 2025 Scottish Premier League season, and Greenberg said that his achievements are a source of pride and inspiration for Hakoah’s youth league players.

Greenberg reserved special praise for a group of about 18 Hakoah players who have each played for the last six years or more, and they received a round of applause at the reception.

“The majority of them are Jewish, they’ve stayed so loyal to this club, throughout this journey back towards the top league.

“The Maccabi–Hakoah Junior Football Club remains a feeder club for us – especially to our SAP and U9-U12 teams, and in turn, our U18s, when they finish, have a pathway into our State League One U20s and men’s squads.

“Next season, in our U20s State League One squad, we’ll probably have 70 per cent of the squad comprised of Jewish players, who have come up through the ranks.”

Hakoah FC’s technical director and head coach Michael Synnott has been instrumental in the club’s revival and in his 13th year with the club.

He was presented with Hakoah’s 2025 Barry Walker Trophy for Clubman of the Year.

Hakoah FC’s promotion to the State Youth League 1 generated excitement even beyond the club, with messages of congratulations pouring in to Greenberg’s inbox since Sunday.

“That’s been wonderful,” Greenberg said.

He concluded the reception by wishing the three Hakoah youth teams good luck for the finals, and thanking each and every person involved with Hakoah FC this season, and during the long journey since relegation during the pandemic.

“What this club really stands for is inclusion, community, heritage, culture … and a bit of football!” he said.

“There have been so many people that have helped us.

“The only thing I’ve got is gratitude to all of you – thank you for being part of this unbelievable journey … we’ll be back in the top division, where we belong.”