At the Annual General Meeting of the Black Diamond AFL held on 28 October 2007, Neville Turner (Treasurer of the NCCUA) (pictured) was elected as a Life Member of the BDAFL.
Neville Turner who has a long umpiring career which started in 1996 umpired his 200th game in the BDAFL during the 2007 season. The citation submitted to support the nomination of Neville Turner as Life Member of the BDAFL can be found at the end of this article.
"It is important from the NCCUA's perspective that our Umpires who have given their time and effort in fostering football within the Newcastle AFL, Central Coast AFL and now the Black Diamond AFL are recognised with the highest award that can be bestowed upon them by the football community in the region," said NCCUA President, Darrel Luck.
"Neville Turner just like those NCCUA members who have received Life Membership of the BDAFL before him is a most worthy recipient. And on behalf of the NCCUA and its members I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Neville on being elected as a Life Member of the BDAFL."
LIFE MEMBER CITATION
Ã,ÃÂÃ,ÃÂNEVILLE TURNER
Citation:
Neville started in AFL playing with the Cardiff Australian Football Club in 1974.
Neville played for 8 years and a total of 150 games before retiring from playing at the end of the 1981 season.
In 1982 Neville was club runner with Cardiff AFC before coaching the Under 17's team for 2 years.
Over the next couple of years, Neville was elected as a committee member, treasurer and club delegate to the NAFL. He was later to become a Board member of the NAFL.
Neville served as a committee member with Cardiff AFC for a total of 14 years (11 of those years he carried out the portfolio of being the Treasurer). The Cardiff AFC acknowledged Neville's service to the Club by awarding him Life membership of the Cardiff AFC. During this time Neville was also involved heavily in securing Maneela Park at Glendale as the home ground for the Cardiff AFC.
Neville continued on the NAFL board after leaving the Cardiff club and was appointed to the Umpires appointment board for a 12 month period and managed the junior representative team at the Teal Cup State selection carnival held in Newcastle at No. 1 Sportsground.
Neville had the pleasure of being on the NAFL board with Dick Boyle over the next 2 years.
Neville took up umpiring duties as a boundary umpire and umpired 2 grand finals in the NAFL as a boundary umpire and continued on the umpire selection panel with John Sullivan and Bill Clarke.
Neville became a field umpire in 1996 and continued to umpire in the NAFL before the BDAFL was formed in 2000.
With the inauguration of the BDAFL in 2000, Neville was umpires co-ordinator along with Eric Rogers and Darrel Luck.
From 2000 to 2007, Neville has officiated in over 200 games in the BDAFL (this includes all field, boundary and goal umpiring duties). These figures do not include junior, masters and school matches that he has umpired during this time.
Neville was awarded Life Membership of the NCCUA in 2004, recognising his service to umpiring in the region.
Neville has served as Treasurer of the NCCUA and NAFL for a total of 15 years thus far. Included in his achievements as Treasurer of the NCCUA are sponsorship deals with the Greater Building Society and the Herald.
Neville has given 30 years service to AFL in the Newcastle region and has a career of 700 games (playing and umpiring). And at 59 years of age, retirement from our great game is not on the horizon yet.
Last Modified on 05/11/2007 15:11