Kelly gets a kick from award

A LARA Football Netball Club volunteer is the latest to be commended statewide for his commitment to being the backbone of his sporting club.

Mark Kelly is one of AFL Victoria’s latest Local Legends, an initiative aimed at recognising locals who are willing to show and make sure success happens both on and off the field.

Kelly has been involved with the Lara FNC for over thirty years, first following the club in 1986, before taking up volunteering in the early 1990’s when his three sons began playing football.

Since then, the Lara local has volunteered as timekeeper, goal umpire, team manager and as a scoreboard technician.

From 2013, he has been Lara’s senior and reserves team manager and the club’s property steward.

Kelly also spends his Friday’s marking the lines on all three home grounds and attends the club every day on his lunch break to look after the centre cricket wicket and ensure all surfaces are safe for play.

He said the Lara FNC continues to mean everything to him.

“From piling the kids in the car to go watch Lara play in the 80’s to still being here now, it’s always just been a huge part of my life.

“When my boys started playing in the 90’s it just seemed like a natural progression to help out and I’ve kept that going since.

“I just love being around the club. If I’m not at work, I’m at the club. I just want to make it better in any way I can.”

Mr Kelly stressed the importance of volunteers, saying they are the lifeblood of any community organisation.

“Volunteers are obviously just so integral to any club. Everyone has them, and we all do it because we love it,” he added.

“We don’t do it for the accolades or the plaudits, but this form of recognition was obviously very nice.

“I’m looking forward to being about for many years to come. I’m not going anywhere!”

Chairman of the Lara FNC, Chris Spence commended Mark on his selfless dedication to the club over many years.

“Mark is a well-known and much-loved volunteer, committee representative and life member at LFNC. There are many senior players at the club who have never known another team manager,” he said.

“He is always on hand for any requests from the footballers, replacing forgotten articles at the last moment before a game and reuniting players with long-lost belongings.

“He is the first to arrive and the last to leave the club rooms every Saturday and is the embodiment of the selfless volunteer who is the lifeblood of his community club.”

Nominees for the AFL Victoria Local Legends initiative can be anyone who is involved in a community football club in any capacity.

To nominate a local legend, head to form.jotform.com/24058706778006