It’s reflection time for former Valley View golfers Bess Wood and Doris Vick.
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Now residents of Warramunda and in their 90s, Bess and Doris teamed with Eileen Sullivan in 1995 to claim one of the most prestigious events on the Goulburn Valley ladies golf calendar, the Joyce Broadbent Perpetual Shield.
Eileen, who presents the popular weekly Looking Back column in this paper, remembers the day well.
‘‘We didn’t play together and at the end of our rounds they combined our scores,“ Eileen said.
“Doris and Bess finished before me and knew they had a chance of winning the shield if I came in with a reasonable score. Fortunately I did and we won the event.
We were all pretty excited because it was the most prestigious events of the year.“
More on Les
Historian Eileen Sullivan has unearthed some interesting new facts on former Kyabram footballer Les Whyte, a schoolboy star in the early 1950s.
Les was in the Kyabram Elementary School side that won the Goulburn Valley Schoolboys Championship in 1953 and along with another member of that side, Barry Allen, went on to represent Victoria in the National Schoolboys carnival in that year. A rover, Les captained the Victorian side.
VFL (now AFL) talent scouts were clamouring for his services and Melbourne Football Club, which chased him for four years, signed him in 1955 after he kicked six goals in a practice match.
He returned to play another season with Kyabram before returning to Melbourne, but he never got to play a senior game with the Demons.
Melbourne was a powerhouse in those days and the story goes that when Les turned up to training the Melbourne players ignored him and wouldn’t kick the ball to him because they were worried he might take their spot in the team.
Les died earlier this year in Melbourne.
Tom gives his all — and more
Tom Holman has been recognised for his season with Lockington Bamawm United Football Club in the Heathcote District Football League by winning the club’s ‘110 Per Cent Award.’
Must admit it’s the first time I’ve heard of such an award and it obviously recognises a player who gives a lot more than what is expected of him, so it’s a decent honour.
Holman is returning to play with Kyabram next season where he is a four-time premiership player.
LBU’s best and fairest award was won by Tyler Phillips, who also claimed the league’s Cheatley Medal.
Mellington has 2022 goal
This season’s century goakicker Josh Mellington will remain with Kyabram District Football League club Violet Town in season 2022.
Mellington is among most of the Towners players who have recommitted for another year, which will be a load off the shoulders of club legend Sean Horsburgh, who has taken back the coaching reins of the club.
Seymour re-signs stars
This year’s GVL big mover, Seymour, is loading up for another big season.
Coach Ben Davey and co-captains Kyle Winter-Irving and Dylan Scopel recommitted after the recent season and now most of the club’s main playmakers, including Ben Clifton, Morrison Medallist Jack O’Sullivan, Lachlan Waite and Nick Dundon, have told the club they are going nowhere next year.
Twenty20 vision
Cricketers in the area will get a chance to get their eye in for the coming season in an initiative from the Murray Valley Cricket Association.
It is planning a two-day Twenty20 competition to be held on October 30 and November 6 for cricketers who reside in the border bubble and are fully vaccinated.
The Murray Valley Cricket board will select teams from players who nominate, and they can do so by emailing mvca@westnet.com.au
Matches will be played at Deniliquin and Barooga, with entries closing on Thursday, October 21. A night final is being planned to be staged at Barooga with a tempting incentive for the winning team.
Players do not need to be registered with a MVCA club but will have to provide proof they have been double-dosed against COVID and be at least 14 years of age as at August 31 this year.
Katamatite wakes Wright choice
Picola District Football League club Katamatite has stuck with Jedd Wright as its coach for 2022.
Wright will again take an onfield role, having led his side to fourth place on the ladder this season before it was cancelled.
The club has also reappointed A grade netball coach Tesslyn Saunders for another season.
In other Picola League news, Mathoura’s coach for the past four years, Darcy Robinson, is stepping down.
Robinson, who wants to spend more time with his family, has taken Mathoura from easybeats to a team to be reckoned with.
His replacement is expected to be named any time now.
Steph sticks around
Echuca Football Netball Club will again have its A Grade team coached by Steph Vick in the 2022 season.
Steph is a premiership player with Kyabram and the wife of Bombers premiership captain Josh Vick.
Another former Kyabram premiership player and coach Belinda Lees takes on the new role as Echuca’s netball co-ordinator.
United adds another women’s team
It punches above its weight but Goulburn Murray Cricket club Bamawm Lockington United is not showing any signs of taking a step backwards.
It has added a second women’s side to its team lists to compete in the GMC’s B grade competition.
Veteran star allrounder Greg Pearse and Justin Guppy will lead the women’s program while Rathika Rajakumara will take on the senior coaching role for the second year.
Mundy the marvel
Maybe too lazy but never too old.
Former Seymour footballer David Mundy would probably vouch for this after this year’s AFL season.
The 36-year-old capped a stellar season warding off Father Time by finishing second in this season’s best and fairest vote count for the Doig Medal to ruckman Sean Darcy.
It’s the eleventh time in 13 seasons he has had a top five finish in the award.
Sports reporter