Page 34 - AFL Queensland 2015 Year in Review

Noosa’s Rob Purves was named AFL Queensland Volunteer of the Year at the Queensland Football Awards at the Gabba in September.
Purves received a standing ovation from the 400-plus audience for his outstanding service; and deservedly so.
Football manager, senior assistant coach, junior coaching coordinator, special needs coach and Auskick coordinator are the hats he wears at the club.
But while charity begins at home for Purves, it ce ainly doesn’t end there.
Early in the year Purves reached out to a nearby club that was struggling with numbers to organise a player interchange between the two.
On any given week the Tigers would lend between one and 12 players to their neighbour, ensuring the club still fielded a senior team and the competition had four competing clubs.
Purves was the also the driving force behind a unique program that saw Noosa pa ner with community organisation Sunshine Bu e lies to allow children and adults with high-level intellectual disabilities to play footy.
The program culminated in a half- time match during the seniors round 18 game that was cheered on by both clubs.
A humble Purves said a love of the game fuelled his passion for helping others.
“I love seeing the joy on other people’s faces when they do it,” he said.
“You don’t do these things for the awards like this; you do it to give back to footy.
We all played the game, so you like helping the other people out so that can play it as well, but last night was really nice, I was honoured,” he said.
And that standing ovation?
“I was pre y humbled; I thought to myself wow, that’s a really big thing to do. It was a very honourable thing to do from everyone in the
room. I was very taken aback by it, and didn’t really know what to do,” said Purves.
“I love footy; I couldn’t imagine life without it. We got knocked out of
the finals, and you just roll into the next year; you go on the recruiting trail and everything like that. It doesn’t stop, but when you enjoy it, it keeps you going.”
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