CYMS Football Association

CYMS Football Association

Sport	Australian rules football
Founded	1910s
Ceased	1976; 48 years ago (1976)
Country	Australia

The CYMS Football Association (CYMSFA), also known as the CYMS Football League (CYMSFL), was an Australian rules football competition played in the state of Victoria.^[1][2] The competition was managed by the Catholic Young Men's Society of Victoria (CYMS).^[3][4]

The Victorian CYMS was founded in 1892, but it would not be until the 1910s that the CYMSFA was established.^[3] While the exact date of the competition's founding is unclear, it is known that the competition was active by 1912.^[5][6] Various CYMS-affiliated teams, including the Williamstown CYMS Football Club (founded in 1886), played in competitions prior to 1912.^[7][8]

The CYMSFA grew significantly throughout the 1930s, with a record 32 teams participating in the 1930 season.^[9] By 1933, a total of 468 CYMS members played for football clubs across the competition.^[3]

From its early years, the competition was split into two divisions, "A Grade" and "B Grade".^[10] "C Grade" was established in 1951, with all three divisions split into "North" and "South" sections throughout the 1950s.^[11][12]

Beginning in the 1960s, the CYMSFA's playing numbers began to decline.^[13] This continued when Williamstown CYMS moved to the Footscray District Football League (FDFL) at the end of 1964, although the club returned to the CYMSFA in 1969 after struggling to compete with FDFL clubs who were paying money to players.^[7]

In 1976, the CYMS Football Association officially disbanded.^[14] Williamstown CYMS life member Peter Buckley later recalled:

"The CYMS comp folded as a result of a fight which occurred between South Melbourne and Kensington at Debney's Paddock. The police were called and fired a gun, and basically read the Riot Act. Those two sides were suspended, and we (Williamstown CYMS) were elevated into the final four. We were knocked out in the first semi, but the competition itself soon folded as a result of turbulence and falling away in numbers. It was an old comp, but no longer had significant administration. We had to find another competition. At the time, I wanted us to join the Amateurs, but it was felt that the travel would be a disincentive to the players, so we joined the West Suburban League (WSFL)."^[7]

The competition's various clubs have since folded, merged or renamed, and as of 2024, Williamstown CYMS is the only club from the CYMSFA to still include "CYMS" in its name while competing in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA).^[15][16]

Club	Colours	Nickname	Former league	Est.	Seasons	Premierships		Fate
						Total	Final
Murrumbeena[17]					1941−1954
South Caulfield CYMS				1890s	1940s−1956			Merged with Camden in 1957 to form South Caulfield
St Kevin's Ormond[18]					19??−19??			Moved to ESCFA, later merged with St Andrews Gardenvale in 1993 to form Caulfield
Thornbury CYMS[19][20]		Bears		1930s	19??−19??			Moved to VAFA, later merged with Reservoir Rovers in 1988 to form Thornbury Rovers
West Preston		Roosters	−	1948	1948−1963			Moved to YCWFL, later merged with Reservoir-Lakeside to form West Preston Lakeside in 1998
Williamstown CYMS		CYs	−	1886	1912−1964	8	1973	Moved to WSFL in 1977 and VAFA in 1983
FDFL		1969−1976