He plays for the under-12s and under-14s, and he has scored six goals for the season: two in the under-14s and four in the under-12s.

He recently played his 50th game for the club and was given a milestone badge, the first the club has given out since 2019.

Thomas said it was great to reach the milestone.

"It felt good, and it was good to get a goal in my 50th game," Thomas said.

Thomas's favourite player is Argentina legend Lionel Messi, and he wants to be like him.

"I want to try and be like him. He is a good footballer, he is nice and he is not cocky or anything like that," Thomas said.

During his under-12s game on Sunday against Warrnambool Rangers, Thomas showed terrific sportsmanship, helping an opponent from the field and helping others up from the ground.

"It's the right thing to do, even if they are on the other team," Thomas said.

Coach Gavin McRoberts said stepping up to competition level has helped him mentally.

"He is a different kid and is so much happier," McRoberts said.

"Since he has moved to the competition, he has stood up, and he needed to so he could challenge himself, and he has taken it on and run with it and is doing well.

"He is a different kid this year. His attitude has completely changed."

Kaden's mum, Katelyn, said he has stepped up into a leadership role.

"He gives guidance to younger players, and you saw what he did on the pitch, helping a player off the ground," Katelyn said.

"He has grown into that strong leadership role and role model. He enjoys soccer and has a good passion for it."

"The club has a good family environment, which also helps. He is getting shown the ropes from senior players and sharing that on as he goes through the ranks."

The under-12s kicked off first at Dudley Cornell Park against the Warrnambool Rangers Teal team and, in the first half, showed tremendous fight, courage, and skill even though they trailed by 0-2 at half-time.

They had plenty of opportunities at goal in the first half but couldn't convert.

They started the second half on fire, creating plenty of opportunities, but could not convert numerous shots on goal.

They were defending well, and it wasn't until the last ten minutes that they fell away, conceding three quick goals to lose 0-5.

Kaden Thomas and Breeze Bingarape were their best players in an improved performance against one of the top sides in the competition.

In the seniors, they played reigning premiers Warrnambool Rangers, whom they lost 21-0 in round two on May 12.

In a rough, physical game of soccer, they were more competitive, scoring the first goal through Sedat Aytar, who kicked two goals last week.

The Rangers started to get on top to kick three goals to lead 3-1 at halftime.

In the second half, the Falcons battled hard and defended many attempts, but the reigning premiers were too good, adding another five goals to win 8-1.

Club president Paul Barnett said a league representative called them on Sunday to commend them on their improvement.

"Someone from the league rang us today and was surprised how much we improved. We have players joining us from overseas and getting a few recruits, which also helps," Barnett said.

"We have improved as a team, and it is unbelievable how much improvement we have made in a short time.

"Last time against Warrnambool, they were moving down the wings and bombing it, and we had no answer. This time, we held the wings better, and they had to change how they attacked, so being able to frustrate them was a good sign."

"We are gaining more experience on the field, and getting more depth for the team is also a bonus."

The Falcons have a bye next week before returning to the pitch on July 14 against Warrnambool in Warrnambool.

The Horsham and District Soccer Club is holding a soccer school holiday fun day next Sunday at 12:00 p.m. at Dudley Cornell Park.

The club will consider running the program each school holidays for kids to try and have fun for a gold coin donation.

For further information, contact the club.

The Falcons seniors kicked the game's first goal within the first ten minutes to take an early lead. The Panthers responded not long after, and the scores were level at 1-1 at halftime.

The Panthers came out firing in the second half, kicking three goals before the Falcons responded through Sedat Aytar with a late goal.

Noah Talbot, who shares coaching responsibilities with captain, Daniel Phillips, credited the entire team.

"All the credit goes to the team. We have stuck together, and no one has dropped their heads, and we are super happy to be playing," Talbot said.

"We have had consistent attendance at training, and everyone is engaged and enjoying themselves and bringing 100% every time they step out onto the field."

"There was a fantastic vibe after the game, and the boys were disappointed they didn't come away with a win."

"It's an awesome feeling having gone from losing games in double digits to getting goals on the board and putting up a fight against a side that is quite strong."

"To add to that, they also hung around and shared a barbecue with the senior players and kids."

Talbot described the second half as a game of 'moments and inches.'

"We controlled the game quite well and seemed much more comfortable with the ball at our feet," Talbot said.

"Unfortunately, they scored a couple of quick goals, and we got a few injuries, but we had a lot of chances. Sedat hit the post twice, and the game could have gone either way."

Talbot said the new additions strengthened them, and the improvement means they can attract more people to the club.

"It's been quite hard to get a team together, and the momentum keeps building, and we can attract new players.

"The new additions really strengthened the midfield and attack for us."

The under-14s also displayed improvement in their 1-6 loss to Warrnambool Rangers.

The Falcons went into half-time down 2-0 and finished the game 1-6, with a goal from Kaden Thomas the highlight.

Gavin McRoberts, who was umpiring the match, and coaches the under-12s, who had a bye, said the improvement was massive.

"They really learned from the experience of playing these guys the first time, and like last week against Stawell, they put into action what we spoke about during the week, and it paid off for them," McRoberts said.

"Every now and then, we sit down, and I ask them what they think is going on, what is going good and bad, and it's for them to tell me and not me tell them."

"If we don't sit down and do an assessment, we will not improve. We sat down and figured out what we weren't doing well. We said this is an area we need to improve on from now on."

When asked what they identified, McRoberts said many different aspects of the game.

"Mostly the passing, talking and communication and marking up in the back," McRoberts said.

"We have also been caught out having players in the forward and backline but no one in the midfield, and we have worked as a group to improve that idea."

"I heard those calls from the players themselves during the game, and having the kids identify that within themselves, communicate, and improve was an absolute bonus."

"The backline stayed strong, and Baxter in goals had another good game following on from last week."

"There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, but from where we started to where we are now is a massive improvement."

It was a special moment for Kaden Thomas. Last week, he marked his 50th game for the club. On Sunday, he was presented with his badge, the first one the club had handed out since 2019.

The Rangers kicked the first goal of the game but Htoo Say Lwe Wah equaled the game for the Falcons with a great goal halfway through the first half.

Wah then scored his second late in the half to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead at half time.

In the second half, the Rangers were stronger but the Falcons repelled their attacks with Breeze Bingarape slotting a goal to give the Falcons a 3-1 lead.

The Rangers battled hard, but the Falcons held on to win 3-1.

Coach Gavin McRoberts said the boys fought hard, especially after losing their regular goalkeeper.

"Caleb Dickerson-Williams stepped up into goalkeeper and he did brilliantly, taking the job on by making some great saves which prevented the opposition from scoring," McRoberts said.

"The boys had to fight harder and they managed to repel attacks and play well which was pleasing to see, especially after being down early in the match."

Earlier, the under-14s lost to Stawell 2-6 in what was an improved performance.

In the pre-season, Stawell thrashed them, but it was a different team this time around with the Falcons improving and growing with confidence in each game they play.

It was goal-for-goal in the first half with the Falcons trailing 3-2 at half time. Kaden Thomas and Paxton Michael were the goal scorers for the Falcons.

In the second half, Stawell put up another three goals to win 6-2.

Gavin McRoberts said the boys were brilliant.

"The boys took it right up to Stawell and we could have scored a few more goals in the first half, but unfortunately couldn't put it into the back of the net," McRoberts said.

"In the second half we had plenty of the ball but couldn't capitalise on our opportunities but comparing this to the other games, there was a massive improvement across the board.

"The Stawell coach came up to me after the game and said he was impressed at how much improvement has been made in such a short time."

"The boys have been working hard and if they keep working the way they are, the results will come."

The seniors traveled to Scotts Creek to take on the Corangamite Lions, and it was another improved display from the Falcons, who only had nine players compared to the Lions' 11.

They lost 6-0 after trailing by two at half time, but captain Noah Talbot said under the circumstances, it was a very pleasing result.

"We operated well as a unit and had a tight midfield and considering we were undermanned, to bring it up to them was a great effort," Talbot said.

"We ran out of steam in the end. The Lions had 90% of the possession and we were chasing all day so we did well to hold our shape and we are improving every week.

"We are setting goals as a group and we are achieving them internally. A lot of these players hadn't played on a full-size pitch before and we are still building chemistry, so to put in that performance, was a sensational result."

"Everyone is committed and everyone wants to achieve good results and that will come."

The under-14s had 12 players, giving them a full team with one player on the bench and they got off to a horrible start conceding five goals in the first 15 minutes.

They started to get their groove, challenging for the ball but conceded another five goals to trail by 10 at half time.

Coach, Gavin McRoberts came up with a game plan on how they wanted to go moving forward and put it into action and the players responded, challenging for the ball better and putting Warrnambool on the back foot.

Their effort was rewarded when Bingarape scored a goal early in the second half. The Falcons had their chances to score more, but the more experienced Warrnambool side, got back into their groove to kick four goals in the last 10 minutes, winning 14-1.

Gavin McRoberts said they are slowly improving.

"The boys were pushed around and pushed off the ball in the first half and in the second, they played better, and scoring that first goal was a massive moment for the club," McRoberts said.

"We had them on the back foot, but unfortunately got some injuries late in the game but there is a lot of improvement there which is good to see."

The under-12s had a bye whilst the seniors had to forfeit due to player availability through injury and other commitments.

The league has a bye next weekend and the Falcons will resume in round six on Sunday, June 16, with all three grades playing in Ararat.

Following the win from last week, the under-12s came out strong to score the first goal, but Portland was too strong, scoring the next three to win 3-1.

The under-14s showed improvement in their 6-0 loss. Horsham and District Soccer Club president Paul Barnett was happy.

"They had their moments and opportunities, and are improving and are learning from each other and gelling as a team," Barnett said.

In the seniors, whilst they had another big loss, 16-0, they are showing improvement. Barnett said they have definitely improved since their first game.

"The first halves haven't been good but on Saturday, it was marginally better," Barnett said.

"The morale is pretty good. The guys are pretty disappointed in how they have started but at the same time understand where we are at and holding their heads high.

"We have to keep everything in perspective and the mantra this season is a learning season. There are glimpses here and there and we need to sustain that for a decent length of time to put pressure on the other team."

"In the first four weeks, we have played three of last year's top sides and face the minor premiers next week. After that, we play sides closer to our standards, so that's when we will find out how we are traveling."

The round three clash was set to be a good battle and it didn't disappoint. It was a tight tussle early with the Lions pushing hard to try and score the first goal, but the Falcons stayed strong, holding them out.

Just before halfway through the first half, it was Kaden Thomas who scored the first goal for the Falcons.

For the rest of the half, there was a lot of back and forth with the Lions doing well to hold the Falcons out and stay in the game, going into half time with a one goal deficit.

Within the first seven minutes of the second half, Thomas kicked his second goal and then got his third halfway through the second half.

Subal Tandey then hit the scoreboard for the falcons, four minutes later to give them a 4-0 win.

This is a massive result for the Falcons as it is the first time since 2019 they had a junior team in a representative competition. The team is coached by Manuel Rodriguez Barga.

Match referee, Gavin McRoberts said the boys were ecstatic after the win.

"The boys were working hard as a team and passing the ball and doing what was required of him," McRoberts said.

"The boys were ecstatic after the game. Not only was it the first time they had scored a goal in the league, but it was the first win too.

"This is a massive day for the Horsham District Soccer Club."

The under-14s lost 0-17 to the Warrnambool Rangers Teal team, and the Under-14s lost to Hamilton, 0-5.

Senior coach and Horsham District Soccer Club president, Paul Barnett said that they have a lot to do but they are learning each week.

"There is a lot to work on and playing last year's champions, it certainly gave us an eye opener and what we need to do moving forward," Barnett said.

"It was just interesting to see a team that has played together for a long time and how well-drilled they are, and it just shows how far off we are.

"We will get there eventually and it was good to get an idea of what we are against so we can improve moving forward."

"The under-14s was a learning day as well, but they fought hard in the second half."

The under-12s showed fight and Barnett said they always showed potential, even during pre-season.

"There is potential with these boys. They didn't lose by much and put up a good fight and there is something to work with," Barnett said.

"They are the future of the club moving forward and we know the potential they have so it is looking very positive for the future."

Barnett thanked everyone who showed up and supported the Falcons.

"There was a lot of people there and a lot of parents stayed around and watched the seniors which was good," Barnett said.

"The car park was full and it was hard to get a park, so thank you to the many people who supported us."

The Falcons have a bye next weekend in both seniors and under-14s whilst the under-12s play against Corangamite in Ararat.

The seniors played Stawell and lost 16-0, The Under-14s played the Warrnambool Rangers and lost 16-0 and the Under-12s played Port Fairy and lost 7-0.

Horsham District Soccer Club President and senior coach Paul Barnett said it wasn't about the scores and that everyone played well.

"For the seniors, I only recently took over as senior coach last week and made a bit of a change in game style and we also had a few injuries," Barnett said.

"It wasn't about the scores today. Everyone came out and gave 100% and we started to have an identifiable structure to the team.

"We conceded 12 goals in the first half but frustrated them in the second to only concede four in the second half and they are going to be one of the best teams in the league. The camaraderie between ourselves and Stawell is unbelievable.

Barnett loved the support they got from Ararat locals.

"The way we played won a lot of respect as there was a lot of Ararat locals cheering us on," Barnett said.

"They could see we were the underdogs and saw our commitment and effort. It was nice to have that support in a foreign place.

Neykaw Wah and Beesee Mawkay both stood out for the Falcons.

"Neykaw was easily best on the ground for us and stood out. It was his first game as well," Barnett said.

"His commitment, speed and pressure was unbelievable."

Next week the Falcons host Warrnambool at Dudley Cornell Park in their first home game.

"It will be a big moment for us on Sunday and we are looking forward to it," Barnett said.

In other good news for the Horsham and District Soccer Club, Kianah Batty has been named in the representative squad for the country championships in June.

The under-10's, 12's, 14's and seniors all played matches. Club president Paul Barnett said there is a lot of work to do but the promise is there considering how far they have come in three years.

"Our under-12s put up a good fight and did well but there is still a lot of work to do," Barnett said.

"It was a good effort from everyone involved considering 90% of the players had their first match outside of our own internal competition. I am really happy with the kids and the effort they put in.

"The seniors had their moments coming up against a side that finished third last season in the league and have been playing together for years."

"It was an eye opener but we have to start somewhere and considering where we were three years ago, to be able to field four teams was unbelievable and everyone can hold their head high."

This week, the under-12s, 14s and senior squad are holding squad trials to finalise their teams to represent the Falcons in the 2024 South West Victoria Football Association season.

It started last Friday the 12th and will conclude on Wednesday, April 17 for Juniors and Seniors.

The season launch and jersey presentation is on Friday April 19 at Dudley Cornell Park at 5:30pm.

The club will look at having another friendly against Stawell in the next couple of weeks as the start of the season has been pushed back two weeks and will now being on May 5.

The day will be on Friday April 5 at 5:30pm at Dudley Cornell Park.

Club President Paul Barnett is urging everyone to come down as they have big plans for not only this year but for the future of soccer in the region.

"Initially what it will be is to raise the profile with women and girls in the area," Barnett said.

"The plan for this season will be an internal social club competition with a view of having a team or a couple of teams in the South West League next season."

In the past when holding a come and try day, they have had up to 100 people show up and Barnett hopes the same, if not more, come to Dudley Park.

Barnett said the extra incentive is that the South West League is after girls and females for their representative sides and it doesn't matter if they aren't a part of the league competition.

"They are crying out for players in their representative side," Barnett said.

"A few of our junior girls last year probably would have walked into that side and represented the region.

"They are fast-tracking it for the girls and you get to play at a higher level and go to the state championships. So it's worth giving it a go."

The Falcons, as they are known by, are entering three teams into the league. The under 12s, under 14s and a senior men's team.

This is the first time they have joined the league having been part of the Ballarat League before Covid hit.

Club president Paul Barnett said they chose to join the league because of the support they will get.

"They are supporting us and the development of the game in the Wimmera," Barnett said.

"Not only that, but we will play against Stawell and it will be awesome to have that derby against them. There is nothing like a local derby to cause interest."

The club has a lot of numbers for each team and is aiming to get more over the coming months.

"The senior side will have 20 or 30 players to select from," Barnett said.

"The under 14s will have approximately 15 and under 12s have a similar number. We also have enough kids to run an internal competition.

"When they are not playing in the league side, they will at least get a competition of some sort."

The schedule is still being finalised and the season is expected to kick off on Friday, April 19.

Barnett said they will be playing on a Saturday or Sunday and to make it feasible for a few teams, some clubs, including Horsham may be playing some home games in Ararat.

"We don't have the facilities to host Friday night games. We have a lot of people traveling an hour or more to get to training," Barnett said.

"Some of the teams that are further out such as Kerang might play home games in Ararat to help develop the game in that area more.

"We have the okay from the Ararat council that we can use their ground for home games and Stawell has also done a lot of work in Ararat. We want to make it easier for travel."

Barnett said they are aiming high and are hopeful they can field more teams next year as well as female and girls teams.

"The way it works is division one is for the main team and the second team will play in division two," Barnett said.

"The aim is to get enough interest to field more teams and hopefully can have a northern and southern conference so we can play mostly in this area.

"It will mitigate a lot of travel and that is the ultimate goal. It won't happen overnight, but we are hopeful we can grow soccer in the region."