2008 Sport and Recreation Awards, Volunteer Recognition Sport and recreation is firmly embedded in our culture, with research showing that the majority of Victorians either directly participate in or support some form of activity. Sport and Recreation Victoria maximises both the community value of physical activity and the considerable value of the sport and recreation sector to the Victorian economy. James Merlino, Minister for Sport, Recreation and Youth Affairs described the 2008 awards as the culmination of a state-wide search to find outstanding individuals, groups and organisations that are making an invaluable contribution to the sport and recreation industry in Victoria. "It is the tremendous commitment and effort of these people that keeps the spot and recreation industry in Victoria thriving, and helps Victorians to lead healthy and active lives" he said. Jan Hancock Jan Hancock and Faye Hare 1. Briefly describe the nominee and highlight two of their significant achievements. North Heidelberg Football Club currently has 90 players and 30 volunteers. The Football Club was founded in 1957. It has an annual turnover of $ 200,000. Of this income, 10 % is received from sponsorship, 60 % from fundraising and 30% from food and beverage revenue. The North Heidelberg Football Club is located on the border of Heidelberg Heights and West Heidelberg which are traditionally regarded as Commission areas. The North Heidelberg Football Club offers a home away from home for many disadvantaged children in the area, giving them the opportunity to play sport and providing them with positive role models to look up to. Without the North Heidelberg Football Club, the area and in particular the children would not have a sanctuary from what can sometimes be a very hard world. So where do you start to explain what Jan Hancock has contributed to the North Heidelberg Football Club. In a male dominated situation you have a lady that has over many, many years given her heart and soul to a place she holds deep in her heart. I speak of course about Jan Hancock Ken Gillett.
Jan Hancock has been volunteering for the North Heidelberg Football Club for 30 years. She began as a volunteer when her sons Brett and Paul were six and 10 years old respectively. Her sons now in their late thirties, Brett has only just recently retired from the game in 2006 after both playing and coaching at the Football Club. Jan contributes to volunteer at the Football Club by cooking meals for the players and manages the canteen on gameday. She continues to contribute approximately 40 volunteer hours per week even after those around her have tired. The more amazing thing is that Jan doesn t exactly have spare time and money to be so devoted. Jan cooks over 80 meals each Thursday evening for the players and support staff. She undertakes the shopping, cooking and cleaning for the Football Club each week. It is these contributions which enable the club to function smoothly, and for the players to concentrate at the job at hand. Every year it becomes more challenging to find people who are wiling to volunteer their time, but Jan manages to commit year after year Ken Gillett. 2. What impact has the nominee had on a sport/individual/sector/community? Apart from the tremendous efforts required to organise the catering at the Football Club, Jan provides a steadying influence on people younger than herself who may not receive the love and affection they need from their own homes. Ken Gillett Clearly, respect is one of her strongest attributes. Everyone gets the same chance with Jan and also the same attention. She is scrupulously honest with club funds, something not always appreciated or considered. As the captain of the club, I have played here since I was 6 years old. I am now 28 years old and can remember Jan being around the club helping out since as long as I have been playing there. Jan s sons have played at the club, however now are no longer active players, but she continues to offer her service from her own good wills. Without her tireless dedication, the North Heidelberg Football Club would not have been able to exist in its current form Jason Dean, Captain - North Heidelberg Football Club Captain. Jan has become synonymous with North Heidelberg Football Club. She is so highly regarded that the Northern Football League (formerly the Diamond Valley Football League) would quite often asked for their functions to be catered for, either at the North Heidelberg Football Club or at a nominated venue. This has assisted the Football Club in improving its profile within the Football League, and increasing our sense trust within the Club. In 2001 / 2 Jan acted as the team manager for the newly formed women s football team at North Heidelberg Football Club. It was this commitment which assisted in their success. Her dedication to the women s football team will be remembered by those whom she had contact with during this time Shane Young, Football Manager -North Heidelberg Football Club. In 1999 Jan, along with Faye Hare in 2002 was nominated for a life membership at the North Heidelberg Football Club, a wonderful achievement in a sporting club dominated by males. Only a few females have been nominated for this achievement at North Heidelberg Football Club. I personally can not thank Jan enough for the help and support that she has given me over the past 5 years and if we could afford to, we should have a bronze statue of her erected at North Heidelberg. Peter Grey, President - North Heidelberg Football Club..
3. Describe how the nominee has demonstrated their leadership abilities. In the beginning, Jan would provide support in the canteens at which both her sons played, the Heidelberg Colts Football Club and North Heidelberg Football Club. Following the game she would immediately go to the Preston Market to purchase, prepare and provide lunch for her sons and the other players within both teams. This not only provided a nutritional meal, but facilitated the development of a sense of belonging amongst the players. When Paul to decided to join Brett at North Heidelberg Football Club, it was then that Jan decided to not only run the canteen, but also to serve on the committee. Her first priority was to improve the fundraising capacity of the club, as this then allowed for each junior player to receive a trophy in recognition of their achievements. She managed to complete this in her first year on the committee. Mum demonstrated to me the importance of taking responsibility for your actions. I learnt to act in a mature manner from a young age. She showed me the importance of seeing a task through, and what it meant to lead by example. If I can teach my children part of what she taught me, I will be extremely proud Paul Hancock Jan continued to play a part at the football club throughout the playing careers of her sons. But more importantly, Jan was a role model for other young players around her. "In 1994 I was aged 18 and we were fortunate to win the premiership in division one. At the time my highest priority was winning that game. I remember running out onto the ground and seeing Jan s faces full of tears and excitement. Jan said to me 'It doesn't matter what the result is today, everything that we have done throughout the year makes us winners already'. It was something that I will never forget. The next occasion when North Heidelberg won the premiership was 11 years later, in 2005. When I reflect on the playing team and officials who shared our success, only a few people were there for me on both occasions. Jan Hancock and Faye Hare were two of those people. Leigh Grey, Captain 2003 2006 - North Heidelberg Football Club.
"I remember when aged 14 we played a match against Heidelberg. At 3/4 time we had seemed to have lost focus. The players weren t working well together, and we couldn t seem to carry the ball past the centre. We lost the game, and I felt that I hadn t contributed well to the team and that I had let them down. After the game Jan and Faye were finishing their canteen duties. Jan said to me 'that wasn't one of your better games but don't worry keep your head up and you'll bounce back next week', we still love watching you play. She handed me a hot dog and a drink and I remember thinking that everything was going to be okay. She taught me the importance of taking one game at a time, and that there is always an opportunity to try again next week. In my role as captain at North Heidelberg Football Club in 2005 I helped one of our players in a similar situation. We had an under 19 player who had come into the seniors for his first game. He had played quite well until late in the last quarter where his man kicked the winning goal, seeing us lose by 4 points. After the game in the rooms the young fella was shattered. Seeing his face I wasn't sure how to approach him when I though back to that sound advice that I received years earlier in a similar situation. So I past on what I had learnt from my favourite two ladies at North Heidelberg Football Club. It may not have sunk into him right away as it didn't to me years ago but I now understand and I'm sure he will also Leigh Grey, Captain 2004 2006 - North Heidelberg Football Club 4. What challenges has the nominee faced and how have they responded? Jan is the oldest of 8 children. Her mother died when Jan was only 14, and from that day forward she took responsibility for raising her siblings. She left school at age 15 so that she could provide for her family. Later, Jan raised four children by herself during very tough times. She lost a husband and a son along the way, and now has to look after grand children also. Despite this, Jan has always made players and supporters in the club feel welcome. I'm 32 years old now and when I was 12, Jan used to baby-sit me before my Sunday games in juniors if my parents had something on - which was often the case as they were separated. Nothing was out of the question even though she had her own children and I wasn't the only player she would look after. 10 Years later in my fourth year playing senior football, the only thing that had changed is that I stayed Friday nights before footy. Jan would cook us dinner before the game, drive us to the game so that no one had to worry about drinking and driving after the match and after club functions we'd pick a group of the boys up and drop them off at home safely at all hours of the night. I have played at three other senior clubs and I am yet to come across anyone else who works anywhere near as hard and as willing as Jan. Everything they have done for me and a number of other players is something that has touched me deeply and I respect her greatly. Leigh Grey, Captain 2004 2006 - North Heidelberg Football Club Whilst to most a home cooked meal is the norm, at North Heidelberg this is not always the case. Despite raising a young family on her own, Jan still managed to offer her generosity to those less fortunate than herself. One of our players once mentioned that it if wasn t for the North Heidelberg Football Club he would be either in jail or dealing drugs. And he wasn t too far from the truth. By providing a meal each week, Jan provided a place for people to feel connected and valued. For some of our young players, this was the only family meal that they received each week. I remember looking forward to every Thursday nights dinner. My favourite meal was meat balls. We all felt safe and no one every went hungry" Leigh Grey, Captain 2004 2006 - North Heidelberg Football Club This sounds like an amazing effort by Jan over the course of a year but it is not just one year. Jan has been working tirelessly for the North Heidelberg Football Club for at least the past 20 years. I hate to think what is going to happen to our Football Club when Jan and Faye do retire one day. Rick Thorneycroft.
Faye Hare 1. Briefly describe the nominee and highlight two of their significant achievements. North Heidelberg Football Club currently has 90 players and 30 volunteers. The Football Club was founded in 1957. It has an annual turnover of $ 200,000. Of this income, 10 % is received from sponsorship and 60 % from fundraising and 30% from food and beverage revenue. The North Heidelberg Football Club is located on the border of Heidelberg Heights and West Heidelberg which are traditionally regarded as Commission areas. The North Heidelberg Football Club offers a home away from home for many disadvantaged children in the area, giving them the opportunity to play sport and providing them with positive role models to look up to. Without the North Heidelberg Football Club, the area and in particular the children would not have a sanctuary from what can sometimes be a very hard world. In this day and age where volunteers are few and far between and getting harder to find every year Faye stands head and shoulders above the rest. She has contributed enormous worth to the North Heidelberg Football Club. Peter Grey, President North Heidelberg Football Club. Faye began volunteering for the North Heidelberg Football Club 27 years ago, when her son Chris began playing under 14 football. Chris took a break from North Heidelberg Football Club between the ages of 16 and 21, to play at a rival club. Faye has been assisting in the canteen throughout this time. Faye s loyalty to the Football Club remained true. Even when Chris discontinued his involvement with the North Heidelberg Football Club, Faye remained and contributed to the conduct of the canteen. During this time, each Saturday she would support Chris at the rival football club, then return to North Heidelberg immediately after Chris s game to run the canteen. Faye was there to greet Chris when he returned to North Heidelberg Football Club. She continues to work part time, runs a household and yet always manages to find quality time for her family and grandchildren. Faye continues to contribute approximately 40 volunteer hours per week even after those around her have finished playing sport at the club. My perception of Faye and the role she plays within the Football Club changed significantly when I took over as the Treasurer at the end of 2003. Of course on the day of the game she works very hard which everyone acknowledges, but it is during the week when she has to go shopping and prepare everything that people forget about. This takes many hours and Faye is always trying to save the Football Club as much money as possible. Again people don t understand the amount of money the ladies efforts contribute to the club. Without Faye s efforts, North Heidelberg Football Club would cease to exist. Rick Thorneycroft, North Heidelberg Football Club
2. What impact has the nominee had on a sport/individual/sector/community? Faye commenced her association with sporting clubs when her son Chris began playing junior cricket aged 14. At the time Faye provided refreshments for the players, an important nutritional component of the game. When some of the players were unable to make it to the away games as their parents either didn t have a car, or they couldn t afford transport, Faye would use her own car to transport the players to and from the game. She did this to ensure that no-one missed out of feeling as though they were part of the team. Volunteers such as Faye Hare are the life blood of the community they serve, indeed institutions like North Heidelberg Football Club would not exist with out them. Paul Tilley, Senior Coach - North Heidelberg Football Club. Faye, along with Jan Hancock has since become synonymous with North Heidelberg Football Club. Her warm smile and genuine care for all those around her is one of the reasons that past players and supporters continue to feel welcome when returning to the club. Faye does all of this whilst ensuring that the canteen runs smoothly on game day. Without Jan and Faye I dare say our Club may have been lost after 2004. Amazingly we managed to bounce back, and then in 2005, when the North Heidelberg Football Club won the division one premiership, the senior players dedicated the win to both Faye Hare and Jan Hancock. Rick Thorneycroft, North Heidelberg Football Club. In 2002 Faye was nominated for a life membership at the North Heidelberg Football Club, a wonderful achievement in a sporting club dominated by males. Only a few females have been nominated for this achievement at North Heidelberg Football Club.
3. Describe how the nominee has demonstrated their leadership abilities. Faye is a strong mentor to those around her; she conducts herself in a positive manner and is always willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Faye creates a warm and friendly environment which encourages an inclusive club atmosphere. An example of her support occurred when in 1990 when Chris Hare was coaching the Heidelberg Soccer Cricket Club. The cricket side had reached the grand final. Chris remembers his mother taking him aside. She suggested that she cook a meal for the players before the game. This allowed for the team to share a meal together and for Chris to address the players and discuss the game plan leading into the big match. Faye cooked dinner for 20 players and support staff, welcoming them into her own home. Faye taught me the value of contributing to a sporting club both on and off the field. I learned the importance of being a positive role model to my peers at an early age. As a result of Faye s leadership I have contributed to both the Heidelberg Soccer Cricket Club and the Belfield Cricket Clubs at which I played. I was recognized as a life member at both of these sporting clubs as a result of my contribution. I would not have demonstrated these qualities without her direction Chris Hare. Faye taught me the value of commitment to a club without looking for any self acclaim and to be humble in victory and defeat. I admire her ability to work tirelessly on so many different levels in so many thankless jobs, purely for the love of the North Heidelberg Football Club. Even now as Captain and Assistant Coach at Marribyong Park Football Club I apply these principles by passing on all of the knowledge and great qualities such as respect, loyalty, hard work and passion you can achieve anything. It was the support and guidance, and her ability to get the little things done, which allowed me to focus on my game. Without Faye s support the North Heidelberg Football Club would not have been successful both on and off the field" Leigh Grey, Captain 2003 2006 - North Heidelberg Football Club. 4. What challenges has the nominee faced and how have they responded? In 2004, the North Heidelberg Football Club was forced to dismiss its bar manager and cleaner. The Football Club was not in a financial position to pay anyone to undertake these duties. Faye immediately volunteered her service, twice per week saving the club $100.00 per week that the club was previously paying out. Admittedly, $100.00 doesn t sound like a lot of money, but over 52 weeks it saves the Football Club $5,200 which for a non profit organization is a great deal. It was this dedication by Faye which enables the football club to remain viable Rick Thorneycroft, North Heidelberg Football Club.