Mid West is committed to major commemorations and initiatives throughout the year. ANZAC Day is an important National Commemoration to those men and women who have served our Country in the military, many have made the ultimate sacrifice. ANZAC Day is 25th April annually.
ANZAC Day
An ANZAC Round is set at the start of each season with home clubs hosting commemoration ceremonies.
Medals
Football (A Grade) Joe Day Medal
Netball (A Grade) Dawn Benson Medal
Joe Day and Dawn Benson achieved distinguished military service, both also long serving players and administrators of the former Streaky Bay Football and Netball Leagues
Medals are awarded the player whose conduct and play during the game best demonstrates the ANZAC spirit - qualities of skill, courage in adversity, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play.
The Returned Services League (RSL) will provide a medal for one of the nominated matches of the round (football and netball), with the league providing the other medals to ensure all matches of the round participate.
It is sought that a RSL representative present the medals where possible. Preference is that the medals are presented simultaneously to football and netball after the A Grade football match in a single post match presentation.
Ceremony
Prior to the A Grade match, A and B Grade players, team staff , umpires and officials are sought to line up in front of club side wing for the commemoration ceremony. The ceremony is run in various forms, but a recommended ceremony is provided here, with sound files forming attachments below. The ceremony in this format takes between five and six minutes to complete.
Order of Ceremony (suggested)
1. Master of Ceremonies (MC) call for attention and brief on meaning of ANZAC Day, the remembrance ceremony and that there will be a post match medal presentation. As a mark of respect, please ask all present to stand and remove their hats.
2. The Ode of Remembrance (a Jack Thompson version below). Alternatively, the Ode may be read or recited by the MC
3. The Last Post (sound file below)
4. Minute silence
5. The Rouse (sound file below)
6. New Zealand National Anthem (sound file below) - 1 minute instrumental version
7. Australian National Anthem (sound file below) - 1 minute instrumental version
8. MC thankyou for attention
Proceed to coin toss whilst captains are near and start match after two minutes to clear oval and teams final preparations.
The full Ode of the Fallen by Laurence Binyon (1914) appears below. The Ode of Rememberance is the final paragraph. Also a story surrounding the Last Post both available as a resource for match day budgets.
