Coutas take home prestigious award at annual awards night

THE Queenscliff Football Netball Club has come away with AFL Victoria’s highest award it can get, being named the 2024 Club of the Year at last week’s AFL Victoria Awards Night.

The Coutas, represented by president Ali Waight and football director Tom Limb, were announced by AFL Victoria as the most deserving of the award out of the more than 1,200 clubs across the state.

Ms Waight said the club was extremely proud of the honour, following years of hard work from its members and volunteers.

“To be in the room with all the Melbourne metro clubs and bigger country Victoria clubs was great, and to be named club of the year was just amazing,” Ms Waight said.

“We knew we had one something, we just didn’t know what it was, so to get that award at the end of the night was certainly an exciting time.”

Queenscliff has made it a priority to increase its reach and motivate more residents than ever before to get behind their club.

Ms Waight said the Coutas achieved its goal of bolstering its social memberships to over 500, increasing the amount from 230 to over 600 over the past two years.

The Coutas have been a pioneer in mental health support not only within the club with its Wellbeing Support Team, but in the community as well.

Queenscliff is also a participant in the Hands Up Cup each year in partnership with Drysdale Football Netball Club to highlight mental health support, as well as partaking in Headstart’s Push-Up Challenge.

Queenscliff now waits for the AFL Barwon Community Awards to take place, where Queenscliff will again be up for awards, including six of its volunteer members who have been nominated as well.

Ms Waight said the club will continue to focus on expanding its reach and the Couta brand heading into the 2025 season and beyond.

“We’ll just continue to grow our social membership, we’re right at the end of the Bellarine here, so it’s all about getting our name out there and getting some new recruits down to the club.

“Over the course of the past two years since I’ve jumped on, we’ve had many new volunteers jump on board wanting to get involved.

“It’s been a great way for people to get active within the community.”

Adding to the success of the AFL Victoria Awards night locally, AFL Barwon commission chair Michelle Gerdtz received the Merit Award for her continued commitment to the region’s sports scene and overseeing the restructure of the Geelong and Bellarine Football Netball Leagues.