To celebrate National Volunteer week we are highlighting some of our great AFL Queensland Volunteers.
Today, we introduce the Darling Downs’ Will Reid …
Mr Reid – as he is known at Wondai State School – never grew up playing AFL and it wasn’t until his very late teens he was first introduced to the game. Studying at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, Will decided to give Aussie Rules a go after he was pressured by mates into having a kick.
From there Will made his senior debut as a defender for the USQ Cougars in the AFL Darling Downs ‘A’ Grade competition. Will admits he was never a star of the game but definitely enjoyed the mateship that comes with playing Australian Rules.
“A couple of mates from University kept pestering me to get down to the Uni’s AFL club and I thought why not, so I gave it a go and loved it, “Reid explained.
Upon completing his studies at the University of Southern Queensland at the end of 2011, Will was posted two hours and thirty minutes north of Toowoomba to a small Prep to Year 10 school; Wondai State School. Will was appointed as the Health and Physical Education teacher but had to give up his footy career as the local Aussie Rules club had shut their doors in 2007.
After contacting local Development staff Will made it his mission to bring AFL back to South Burnett.
This was always going to be a tough ask, considering the strong backing of other football codes in the area.
Will put his hand up to coordinate and run the NAB AFL Auskick program with the guidance of local Development Coordinator Jeff Neumann.
“He contacted me about running Auskick and how he could go about it,” said Neumann.
“He already had his Level 1 coaching accreditation, and had been a HPE teacher so we just made sure he learnt all that was required in running an Auskick program before he opened his own centre.”
Will loved running the program so much he wanted more, eventually putting his hand up to drum interest in starting a footy club in South Burnett.
After sourcing and advertising for help, Will and AFL Darling Downs were able to find interested people from the Taabinga based Auskick centre, and in just a short few months the South Burnett Saints were officially established.
To ensure the club was in good hands for the future, Will started recruiting by running the 2013 Term 1 Auskick program at Lyle Vidler Oval (home of the Saints) so Saints members could start building a healthy player list.
The Saints now field teams in the AFL Darling Downs Juniors competition in the Under 8’s, 10’s and 12’s; all as a result of Will’s commitment to run the Auskick program himself.
Nominations for the 2013 AFL Queensland Coach and awards close Friday 26th July 2013, and regional level winners are recognised at league level end-of-season functions. These winners also automatically become state level nominations.
The AFL Queensland State Volunteer and Coaching Awards Dinner is a highly prestigious event held in September, where all state level awards are presented.
The most prestigious award, AFL Queensland Volunteer of the Year, receives a once in a lifetime experience including 2 tickets to the 2013 AFL Grand Final with all flights and accommodation included and the opportunity to walk in the AFL Grand Final Parade which attracts 100 000 fans each year.
CLICK HERE to nominate
