This week is National Volunteer Week and to celebrate AFL Mackay would like to recognize all the great work and hours spent by every single volunteer – it is no secret that all Clubs and Leagues could not exist without their tireless efforts.
Like most volunteers, they like to do their bit without public acknowledgement, but after being involved with this man at a playing level, plus seeing what he is doing at a fledgling Junior Club, it would have been remiss of me not to highlight to the wider football world the immense work that he does.
Rather than embarrassing the humble man, I decided to talk to someone that probably knows him better than he knows himself – his very supportive wife Vanessa.
Shaun Creeley is heavily involved at all levels in AFL in Mackay, being a Senior Player at the Bakers Creek Tigers and is also Vice President and Under 9’s Coach of the Sarina Demons.
We started off by talking about the old tractor that is used to mow Bakers Creek Tigers home ground Etwell Park, which up until Shaun weaved his magic, was broken more often than not…
“Firstly he had to get the old tractor to and from our place so he borrowed a truck. He sourced the best place to have the head of the engine reconditioned and organised for this to happen and this was the only part of the tractor that was actually repaired by someone else he did the rest himself.
He pulled every bit of the tractor apart. He had slings and chains hanging from our shed roof for ages with the engine hanging waiting on what needed to be done next. He cleaned & reconditioned every single part including the outside panels.
Shaun researched the tractor online and downloaded the manual and sourced the original colours for the old girl. He then found these paint colours and bought the old girl back to her former glory. All along the way Shaun took before and after photos and has these compiled into a manual for the club. (before and after photos attached)
I think in total it took approximately 6 months. Shaun would work on it after work and on weekends (Vanessa wasn’t smiling when she was relaying this section of the story) as he knew the tractor needed to be fixed before the pre-season. Whilst he was rebuilding and bringing the tractor back to its former glory he would take our ride-on down to the ground and mow it so it wasn’t getting out of control in the off season.
He also took the tractors mower deck home and repaired that as best he could and this is still an ongoing repair job because of the age of it.
He has since taken the clubs ride-on mower home and rebuilt that as that was on its last legs.
All of the above work was done at our expense to start with and then the ‘Bakers Old Boys’ reimbursed Shaun for the rebuild of the tractor in total being around $1500.00 I’m not sure how many people would do this especially out of their own pocket.
Shaun is at the (Bakers Creek) footy club probably 4 - 5 days a week – 2 for training – 1 for game day and the other 2 for mowing the grounds and marking the grounds out.
As you know Shaun is also the Vice President of the Sarina Demons and he is always having meetings for us and is the first to training and game days to set up and usually the last to leave after packing up. He is the Coach for Under 9’s as well and he loves it.
He has such a great repour with the kids and they all love him no matter where we are whether it be training, Friday night footy, home game day or even the shops they always run up to him to say hello.”
In 2011 Bakers Creek Tigers folded as a Club, and it wouldn’t be in the positive rebuilding phase they are in now without people like Shaun and the ‘Bakers Old Boys’ volunteering their blood, sweat and tears!
A big thank you to all volunteers – the game wouldn’t be in the great state that we all enjoy week in and week out without you!
Ben Faulkner
Club Sustainability Coordinator
AFL Mackay
Last Modified on 15/05/2013 13:45