Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat
Footy "more than a game" Sarah Benic , Melbourne/Yarra Leader, Edition 1, 06/10/03 |
"THE Fitzroy Junior Football Club and the Fitzroy Reds amateur club have been recognised for their service to the community with an award from Sport and Recreation Victoria. The Reds and Juniors worked together to form an under-19 team for the first time this year, and made a joint submission to take out the Community Participation Award. It's the second state award the juniors have received; in 2000 they were awarded the Community Club of the Year award. The two clubs called their submission "It's more than a game'', to reflect their view of their role in the community. "We both look at football as more than just a game. It's keeping kids and youth involved in the community,'' Fitzroy juniors president Steve Turner said. "If we didn't have this football, what would kids be doing?'' "For us at the juniors, this is a fabulous honour. To have two government awards in two years. "The money's not important, it's that recognition. It's the State Government saying 'you're doing a fine job'. It's a pat on the back to volunteers, to all volunteers. I look on all people who contribute to volunteer organisations as winners.'' The Fitzroy juniors are fortunate to enjoy the support of many sponsors and believe in helping other community organisations. The club sponsors the Fitzroy Learning network, which teaches English to families, as well as the adventure playground for children. "We believe that what we get we have to share,'' Mr Turner said. He said the club contributes "a number of thousands of dollars a year to various community groups''. And if someone needs a bit of financial support, either on or off the field, the club is happy to lend a hand. If kids can't afford to pay their fees, we pay them. If they can't afford boots, we buy them. Any kid who wants to play footy and can't through financial hardship, that's not a problem. "We set up a player-assistance fund for players and families who need some help.'' It helps players who need money for schoolbooks or excursions. The junior club now has 343 players and 11 teams. "We formed the club in 1992 because we saw a need. We noticed in Fitzroy there wasn't a junior football club.'' "When we started, all we could get was 14 players. We had one team. We had to borrow jumpers and we didn't win a game.'' The new team kicked just one goal and four points for the season, but "the kid that kicked that goal was an absolute legend''. "Two years ago we noticed one thing at the club. We noticed something lacking which was these kids,'' Turner said, gesturing from his hairdressers' shop to the high-rise flats on the other side of Brunswick St. "We weren't getting a lot of these kids,'' he said. So the club went out and contacted the tenants unions to actively get the children involved. The result, he said, was an added vibrancy at the club. " We're pretty proud of the fact we've got 32 different language groups.'' While the club enjoys the support of Yarra council, one of its sponsors, it doesn't have clubrooms. "We're the second-largest club in the Yarra Junior Football League and we are a club without a permanent home. That's one of the desperate things. We don't have a home.'' " |
