BALLARAT Masters footballers formed a guard of honour as umpire Gary Greville jogged onto the Russell Square oval on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Greville marked his 1000th game last weekend, after 46 years of \u201cthrilling\u201d senior AFL central umpiring.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am feeling fabulous, and jumping out of my skin at 65,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFitness is such an important thing, and the players at the Ballarat Masters are sensational people. As an older citizen now, to be umpiring with older footballers means a lot of fun, jokes, and banter.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 1987, Greville represented the Ballarat Football League at senior level, and in 1997, represented the Ballarat Football Umpires\u2019 Association at an interleague game in Geelong.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s umpired five BFL grand finals and four Central Highlands Football League premiership games, won Country Victoria\u2019s Most Passionate Football Supporters Award in 2011 as the Redan Drummer, and was nominated for the 1st Legend of Country Football in 2012.<\/p>\n
He has also been an umpire with Daylesford Football Club for three years, however, his major career highlight took place a long way from the traditional footy field.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had the opportunity to go into Ararat prison under the group Prison Fellowship, and I was able to go in and umpire for the prisoners,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUmpiring for those people who had nothing else to look forward to, and relating to those players, was the greatest thing of my career.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor some of the players, it was the first time they had accepted authority, and there was no trouble in the 13 weeks I\u2019d been in there. That was my finest moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 1977, he set himself a challenge to become Ballarat\u2019s best all-round sportsman, and has also performed strongly in squash, racquetball, tennis, table tennis, and cricket.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BALLARAT Masters footballers formed a guard of honour as umpire Gary Greville jogged onto the Russell Square oval on Sunday. Greville marked his 1000th game last weekend, after 46 years of \u201cthrilling\u201d senior AFL central umpiring. \u201cI am feeling fabulous, and jumping out of my skin at 65,\u201d he said. \u201cFitness is such an important […]<\/p>\n