Four of Kyabram Football Netball Club’s most loved individuals were at the centre of a commitment by president John Guinan to be “getting better’’ at celebrating the people most important to the club.
In announcing the club would be making four life membership presentations at the Wilf Cox Community Centre presentation night on Friday, October 6, Mr Guinan said it was something the Bombers were going to improve on dramatically — recognising the contributions of individuals who were so vital to the operation of the Goulburn Valley league football giant.
Mr Guinan said the club was “playing catch-up’’ in regard to bestowing the life memberships on the quartet, who he said he waited too long to be recognised with the honour.
Peter Vick, Russell ‘Keg’ Morgan, Tony Hansen and Caz Curnow were all made life members of the club at the end-of-season event.
Peter Vick joined the KFNC board in 2000, was a senior team manager for more than a decade and was twice recognised as the best clubperson.
He was with son Josh and wife Lyn to accept the award.
President of the club for the drought-breaking 1996 premiership, Tony Hansen was the second to be honoured.
He spent several seasons as president, was treasurer on several occasions and has been the club’s Goulburn Valley league delegate since the mid-1990s.
Mr Guinan said he continued to be a vital part of the club, running the corporate box, acting as an adviser to Mr Guinan and club secretary Paul Shortis and acting as a tribunal representative.
Mr Hansen said he felt he had gotten way more out of his time with the club than he put in.
“To be part of the Williams and Newman era for 15 years was wonderful, and the club is in great hands,” he said.
Russell Morgan joined in an official capacity in the mid-2000s, acting as chairman of selectors and being involved heavily in recruiting.
In recent years, with his son Jason as captain, he has been the leading figure in game-day and bar operations.
Mr Guinan described him as a fantastic support person whose work often went unnoticed.
Mr Morgan said being involved with the club had kept him young, and he was pretty sure the club didn’t owe anything to any of the four receiving the awards.
Caz Curnow took over responsibility for the club’s catering program in 2009 and worked tirelessly, managing food for all functions.
While she is stepping down from the role next year, nobody expects her to be absent from the club in the coming years.
“I do what I do because I love it,” she said, citing the recognition of the Wilf Cox Ladies as the GVL’s top volunteer group for 2023 as a highlight.
“We had an amazing night when we won the award at the GVL presentation evening,” she said.
“I won’t be going far; I only live a block away.”