PRESIDENTS REPORT 2013:
2013 was an amazing year for the Panton Hill Football Club!
This year saw the culmination of decades of hard work, commitment and perseverance by many. It has paid dividends with the club winning the NFL 3rd Division Senior Premiership. Both our senior and reserves teams played off in a Grand Final with our reserves missing out by only 8 points. It was an amazing effort particularly given the fact that we were off our ground for the entire year.
After the lessons learnt following the disappointing loss against Mernda in the 2012 Grand Final, our senior coaches Dean Haydock and Shane Lyons, set out a plan to win the 2013 flag. Recruiting began immediately beginning with the welcome return of Nathan Hendry to the Hill, after gaining experience at Lower Plenty where he played under 19’s with a GF and a season of 1st division football. Nathan went on to win our club best and fairest, however was disappointingly denied playing in the Grand Final due to injury. Other players who joined us are Tim Duckworth, Jason Evans, Ben Finnin, Jeremy Gercovich, Ryan Graham, Ben Hibbard, Nick Lowther, Jarrod McGough, Brett Middleton, Jayson Neilson, Tyler Scarce, Callum Still and Lloyd Toffolon who all fitted in with the unique culture we have at Panton Hill Football Club and all contributed greatly to the success we have achieved in both our Senior and Reserves this year. The combination of these new recruits and our existing players (who after the devastating memory of 2012 had a burning desire to make amends), made up a formidable group that ultimately honoured the Panton Hill Football Club in winning its first Senior Premiership in 58 years.
Congratulations to Lucas Brass, first time Reserves Coach, (reappointed for 2014) who did a great job in achieving a spot in the Grand Final and by keeping his team together whilst giving everyone a chance to play football. Congratulations also to Jayson Burleigh, Football Operations Manager, Rick Le Gassick, Senior Team Manager, Habbo and Jimmy our runners, trainers – Gemma, Polly, Louie, Jordy and Steve, water boys – Jacko and Wyatt. Being off our ground threw up many difficult challenges that we had to face and all worked under extremely difficult conditions, particularly at training with no shelter or facilities of any kind. Without these important helpers we would not have fielded a team.
Off the field our Committee and extended helpers again faced many challenges being away from our home base. Pre-empting a fall in revenue due to a fall in attendance through not playing at home, we worked hard at finding new ways to raise extra funds and ways to improve existing functions and activities. Through a number of initiatives we achieved an excellent financial result with only a minimal loss for the year. Other challenges included negotiating playing arrangements with Council and hosting clubs, encouraging our sponsors to support us away from our ground, finding new sponsors, setting up and running our bar, gate and canteen, setting up and packing up our sponsors signage, cleaning up around the ground and cleaning the change rooms at each home game which all required the help and commitment of a very dedicated group of people. Thanks to Stan, Richard, Greg, Steve, Brian, Cam, Andrew, Scott, Bob, Martin, Lyn, Cynthia, Sandra, Jenny, Julian, Erin and many others who helped achieve this result.
A special thanks also to our loyal sponsors. For a small community the support we receive through sponsorship is incredible. Thanks also to Joffa Byron who came up with the idea of the Redback Gold coterie club and made it happen with 8 members in its first year. Richard Jerums again headed up the Club 45 which under really difficult circumstances achieved a great result maintaining members.
We are also looking at a busy off season with some major capital works being undertaken. Martin Clark has taken on the responsibility of building our new coaches box which will be totally funded by the club. This is a substantial structure that is on 2 levels and 6 x 3 meters in size. Several local contractors have already offered their services free of charge to take on parts of the project. Other works will include an electronic score board, renovations to the “tinny bar” including a new fridge and landscaping.
An exciting development for 2014 is that for the first time ever, we will be fielding an under 19’s team. Andrew Mill is managing this with the appointment of Jayson Burleigh as Coach and Matt Duffy as assistant. We already have a nucleolus of past junior players who are all excited at the prospect of returning to the Hill as senior players. We are trying to schedule as many twilight games on a Friday night as possible. These games that will really create a lot of interest from within the club and the wider Panton Hill community. This is an extremely important initiative for the club and one that invests in the youth of our local area and the future of the Panton Hill Football Club.
The Club is looking forward to an exciting 2014 and the challenge of fielding a competitive side playing division 2 football. Recruiting has already begun to replace a couple of key players who have decided to retire with the bulk of or young and enthusiastic Premiership side returning next year. Returning to our home ground we intend to make use of our new lights with several twilight games planned against our old rivals Hurstbridge, Diamond Creek and Mernda.
As a club we are well positioned to make 2014 a year to take a big step forward, returning to our reconstructed ground with a new coaches box and electronic score board, a renovated tinny bar, landscaped surrounds, under 19’s, competing in 2nd division and the return of the local derby, twilight footy under lights and some of our retired players to join the committee who will no doubt inject new ideas and enthusiasm. All we need now is that same commitment that has been evident this year and the Panton Hill Football Cub brand and culture will continue to build and become an even greater asset to the Panton Hill community and earn even greater respect within the Northern Football League and the wider football community.
ERIC GRIMSHAW
President
Last Modified on 27/05/2014 11:48