Barry McMeekin, the man with the nickname ‘Sparks’, died early last week after battling illness for some time.
A sports lover from way back, Barry started his football playing career at Tongala and was skipper of the Dark Blues team that won the premiership in the inaugural GVL thirds competition — then known as the GVL Composite under-17 League, in 1959.
That first GVL thirds competition was restricted to clubs in the western Goulburn Valley because the Shepparton-based GVL clubs and Mooroopna didn’t want to join the competition at that stage, as they were content playing in their own league, the Shepparton Junior Football League.
The amalgamation of the two leagues didn’t take place until 1965 and the first flag was won by the John Roberts-coached Kyabram side, which also claimed the flag the following year.
Greg Caldwell and Greg Brunt captained those flag-winning Kyabram sides.
Other flag winners in this competition were Kyabram High School (1960), Kyabram Youth Club (1961) and Tatura 1962-63.
Tongala was also the premier in the league’s final year in 1964.
Those were the days when there was a fierce rivalry between Kyabram and Tongala, so, it was rather ironic that Barry ended up spending most of his football life, 37 years in fact, as a Kyabram trainer after moving to the town following 15 playing seasons with Tongala.
Barry spent 37 years as a trainer with the Bombers, winning great respect from the players for his training techniques and fatherly advice.
His knowledge as a trainer didn’t escape GVL officials, and he was one of the first asked to assist GVL representative teams in interleague games.
Barry was also a keen professional runner in his younger days.
Stawell Athletics Club Hall of Fame inductee Doug Tuhan, now living in Tatura, said he can remember Barry competing and thought he had won an 800m race at a Burramine Gift meeting.
Barry’s funeral was held on Monday, and the number of mourners who attended was a fitting tribute to his popularity.
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