IVANHOE AMATEUR FOOTBALL CLUB

‘Since 1910’

4 April

LETTER FROM THE COACH

We’re all going through a lot of challenges, changes and unknowns right now (things have changed even since this letter was written). One thing we do know is that we have a caring, committed and inspiring coach. Hear from our wonderful coach, Ash Close, who brings such a positive mindset, by clicking here.

29 March

SKEGGS HONOURED BY VAFA

Ivanhoe’s long-time media officer Phil Skeggs has been recognised with a Certificate of Merit award by the VAFA.

Phil was one of seven long-serving club and association volunteers to be honoured by the VAFA on March 26.

The award will be presented at a later date after the league cancelled its 2020 season launch because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Phil, 60, is only the ninth Ivanhoe volunteer to receive the award, which is for long-serving club and association volunteers.

His involvement with Ivanhoe Amateurs spans 50 years. As a primary schoolboy at East Ivanhoe who grew up on The Boulevard, Ivanhoe Amateurs was his local club.

Phil did all the usual things – ran boundary, scoreboard, goal umpired – for a pie and a drink. And with a few of his mates, he would watch some of the top amateur footballers of the era playing at Ivanhoe.

By the time he was in fifth grade, Phil and his mates were playing for the school team and were invited to train with Ivanhoe’s under 15s by one of their favourite teachers Ken Hamilton, a long-serving committeeman whom Phil later nominated for a Certificate of Merit on behalf of committee in 1998.

Phil played in Ivanhoe’s junior teams until 1975 and returned to play under 19s in 1977-78. Ivanhoe’s under 19s, coached by life members David Bartlett and Andrew Ireland, were minor premiers and grand finalists in Junior Section 1 in 1977.

After a few years on the Gold Coast where he reported and commentated local football on 2MW, Phil returned to Melbourne for work at the Herald & Weekly Times, covering Brisbane’s first few seasons in the AFL for Brisbane Telegraph.

Phil later joined The Sun newspaper and returned to supporting Ivanhoe. In 1995 he accepted an invitation from former teammate and club president John Sampson to join the club’s committee.

Phil began by organising club luncheons and trivia nights, but his core roles since 1995 have been press and publicity, as well as documenting the club’s proud history since foundation in 1910.

His match reports to local papers have been a constant and earned him three press correspondent awards from the VAFA and a club life membership.

Phil’s voluntary work evolved in step with changes in the media over this period.

It started with hand-typed match reports, live-to-air community radio reports,  pioneering a live grand final match broadcast with Harry Beitzel on 96.5 InnerFM in 1995, and a two-year stint hosting The Ammos Show on InnerFM with another Ivanhoe CoM recipient Don Blackwood in the late 1990s.

Phil produced a popular weekly club newsletter The Hoer from 2001 for several seasons. When the .com era arrived, the club established a website and Phil’s articles were regularly posted, helping to broaden the club’s support base.

Ivanhoe’s newsworthy snippets and pics would sometimes find their way into the sports columns of the Herald Sun where he worked as a senior reporter, night chief of staff and sub-editor. More recently his items have appeared in the Amateur Footballer’s For The Love Of The Game column and the VAFA website.

Digital photography provided Phil with another medium and he became the club’s match photographer and occasional videographer in 2007. His images have documented the life of this club – on and off the field – for the best part of 12 seasons.

In 2015, Ivanhoe’s coterie group the Black & Whites presented Phil with its prestigious Harry Award, named in honour of long-time club administrator the late Harry Thomas, in recognition of his extensive voluntary work.

In 2017 season, Phil accepted an invitation to be a Leader Newspapers contributor covering not just Ivanhoe’s fortunes, but also several other VAFA clubs across eight suburban mastheads. Many of his reports and photos are also published online on the Herald Sun Local Footy web page.

He remains an active administrator of Ivanhoe’s Facebook pages and his weekly match posts include hundreds of carefully edited images.

At the end of 2018 season Phil was highly commended for his work in the VAFA Media awards and was short-listed in two categories again last season.

Ivanhoe Amateurs and the VAFA have enjoyed a top media profile in the city’s northeast for the best part of 25 years because of Phil’s work.

It’s a little known fact that Ivanhoe was instrumental in establishing the Certificate of Merit awards in 1976.

According to life member Don Blackwood, the VAFA executive was looking for a way to properly recognise long-time club volunteers who had also contributed in a meaningful way to the broader amateur footballing community.

Ivanhoe framed a submission for the Certificate of Merit, which was subsequently ratified by the VAFA executive.

Don’s father John (Jack) Blackwood, who had been a long-time committee member at Ivanhoe, was among the first recipients in 1976, aged 83.

Since then, there have been several Ivanhoe stalwarts honoured with this award. They are: Ida Marcon (1981), John Miles (1986), Harry Thomas (1987), Ken Hamilton (1998), Reg Miles (1999), Don Blackwood (2001) and Rob Pearce (2012). For a full list of VAFA Certificate of Merit recipients, go to:  https://www.vafa.com.au/history/awards/certificate-merit/

IAFC PEOPLE

“Difficult times” greatly understates our situation and staying at home is a very small price to pay. My thoughts have been for some time now with those whose livelihoods are threatened.

We are blessed with very special people who make significant contributions to our Ivanhoe Amateur Football Club and right now may be struggling. I’m going to suggest we get in touch in some way and ask them if there is anything we can do to assist them through this horrid time. Let’s show our own that we care for them.

Go safely dear friends

Rob Pearce

15 March

IVIES SPREAD INTO TWO TEAMS

By Phil Skeggs

The Ivanhoe Ivies women’s football team will field a second side in the VAFA’s Division 4 this season.

Since Ivanhoe Amateurs entered a women’s team in the VAFA in 2017, the growth in popularity and player development has been outstanding.

Over pre-season, the Ivanhoe Park-based club has had so many young women wanting to pull on the boots it decided to make a special request to the VAFA to field an extra team in 2020.

Ivanhoe president Rob Pearce said the club was thrilled to get confirmation from the league late last week.

“The numbers grew so swiftly that we just had to face the VAFA with our application that although the fixtures were announced, we could not be part of a club that saw 15 to 20 ladies miss a game every week,” he said.

“The thought of losing all these players to another club or even worse losing them to football altogether was something we weren’t willing to be a part of.

“I certainly want to thank the VAFA for their willingness to help and their understanding of our situation.”

The Ivies’ senior team are expected to be strong contenders in Division 1 this season, with coach Leighton Pearce once again at the helm. Ivies player Ashton Bridge has been appointed as assistant coach.

The club is keen to hear from anyone interested in coaching and volunteering off-field support for the Ivies’ seconds team. Call Leighton Pearce on 0402 421653 or Rob Pearce on 0438 378348.

The VAFA season begins on April 4 – the women’s teams playing 14 rounds with finals in early August.

The Ivanhoe men’s team is also shaping up for a big season under new playing coach Ash Close, who was previously at Collingwood VFL and Northcote Park.

Close has been busy on the recruiting front, with up to half the seniors team comprising fresh faces at their first practice match against EFNL club Warrandyte on March 14.

In another club-first, Ivanhoe has three home games under lights in the first four rounds.

All three home fixtures will feature the Ivies playing the first match at 1pm. The reserves will come on after the Ivies, with the seniors starting at 6pm in Round 1 (on April 4 vs West Brunswick), Round 2 (on April 18 vs Powerhouse) at 6.45pm, and Round 4 (on May 2 vs Yarra Old Grammarians) at 6pm.

The club has scheduled a player reunion night for the Round 2 game on April 18. The cost is $20 per person, $30 for a couple, finger food is provided and drinks will be at bar prices.

26 January

STARS COME OUT TO PLAY FOR BUSHFIRE FUNDRAISER

By Phil Skeggs

AFL legends Robert Harvey and Anthony Rocca will be pulling on the pads as guest stars in a T20 match under lights at Ivanhoe Park on Sunday February 16. The match is being hosted by Ivanhoe footballers and cricketers to raise funds for Victoria’s bushfire relief efforts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The match will be officiated by VSDCA umpires and feature a video review system, which will allow supporters of the two teams to try and outbid each other for lbw dismissals to be overturned.

Ivanhoe Saints president Mark Dixon is confident the cricketers can prevail and encouraged people to get along early. “It’s a good cause and a bit of fun, but it could be a one-sided game,” he joked.

Ivanhoe Amateurs president Rob Pearce said he expected the footballers – male and female – would be more than a challenge given that some also played both sports.

It is the first time the Hoers have joined their co-tenants for a charity event and it’s hoped local residents will also show their support.

“We’re a community club and this is all about giving locals a chance to contribute to the bushfire relief effort and also enjoy the fun of a unique T20 game at our excellent facilities under lights,” said Pearce.

The fund-raiser  begins at 5pm and residents are encouraged to donate a gold coin as entry fee. Food and drinks will be available, along with auction items to bid on. All proceeds will be donated to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.

Harvey, a dual Brownlow medallist and senior assistant coach at Collingwood, played 383 games for St Kilda between 1988-2008. He represented Victoria eight times and was selected as an All-Australian eight times.

He is the grandson of former Australian Test cricketer Merv Harvey and grandnephew of Neil Harvey, who was Australia’s leading run-scorer and century-maker behind Don Bradman.

Rocca played 220 games for Collingwood between 1997-2009, kicking 404 goals, and 22 games for Sydney in 1995-96. He is Collingwood’s defensive development coach.

For more information, contact IAFC president Rob Pearce on 0438 378348 or Ivanhoe Saints CC president Mark Dixon on 0423 395699

13 January

VALE DARRYL HOARE – IVANHOE’S GENTLE GIANT

By Phil Skeggs and Brendon O’Brien

MEMBERS of Ivanhoe’s 1982 and ’84 grand final teams are mourning a much respected teammate, Darryl Hoare.

‘Hoarey’, 63, died at Epworth Hospital on January 9 after a three-year battle with cancer.

Darryl played his junior footy at Ivanhoe, captaining the under 15s and under 17s before graduating to the seniors when the club was a powerhouse in VAFA’s A and B grades during the late 1970s and early ’80s.

Darryl, a teacher,  terrorised opposition players with his straight line and fearless attack on the ball, which was doubly terrifying as he stood a fraction over 189cm and weighed about  95kg.

He played in the club’s 1976 B grade reserves premiership and was a member of Paul Stevens’ and later Alan Salter’s uncompromising, highly talented and tough as nails backline of the early ’80s, which included Billy Baker, Robert Field, Paris Aristotle, Greg Cameron, Glen Simmondson and Tony Course (father of club captain James Course).

There are so many stories of Darryl’s exploits on the field, including kicking the winning goal in the B grade reserves grand final and an A grade seniors clash at Elsternwick Park against De La Salle OC, where their captain foolishly chose to run at him at full flight and was stretchered from the field as a consequence of the collision.

Tony Course, who played off half-back alongside Darryl in juniors and seniors, recalled Hoarey always had an extra gear to give and an incredible determination to win.

“He was always at his absolute best when the game was there to be won,” he said. “In a close encounter I could always look across and know that Darryl would be at his toughest and  beating his opponent.”

Ivanhoe finished minor premiers in the 1982 season, and Darryl, aged 26, was among the Hoers’ finest in a hard-fought, 15-point win over second-placed Old Melburnians in the 2nd semi-final.

The Amateur Footballer profiled every player in the B grade grand final preview. Ivanhoe’s big back pocket, wearing no.35, was described as: “Dazzling Darryl as he is known when he streams from the backline with the ball tucked under his arm. A very tough defender who would run through a brick wall if necessary. A most reliable player and highly regarded by his teammates.”

Darryl was also held in great regard at Banyule football club, where he played in a C grade premiership in 1986, and at West Preston-Lakeside, where he served as club secretary and as an assistant coach with under  15s and 17s.

Brendon O’Brien, who was Ivanhoe’s assistant coach in 1984, visited Darryl in hospital in his final weeks and said he appreciated all of his IAFC teammates and coaches who were able to contact or see him.

“We had a lot of laughs regaling Darryl’s Ivanhoe football days, especially those teams of the late 1970s and early to mid 1980s. When I left him before Christmas, Darryl was chuckling as he played around with the IAFC website.”

He said Darryl will always be remembered as a “gentle giant”.

“He was a gentle giant off the field with a warm and caring nature and he was blessed with a chuckle and laugh that was both welcoming and endearing,” he said.

“He was loved by his teammates and he liked nothing better than to chat about old times at our past player reunions.

“While Darryl has left a hole in the lives of all who knew him at Ivanhoe Park, we cannot imagine the sadness now being experienced by his partner Kay and his son Marshall. They can be sure we will miss Darryl greatly and we are all the better as people for having Darryl in our lives.”

A function is being planned to celebrate Darryl’s life and details will be posted on the club’s social media.

Special thanks to Brendon O’Brien and Tony Course in helping compile this tribute.

4 December

LAST TRAINING BEFORE THE XMAS BREAK – BAREFOOT BOWLS!

The last preseason training session for 2019 will be a barefoot bowls night!
Enjoy the festive season with a cold beverage, great company and some lawn bowls.
$10 to play barefoot bowls
$5 beers/cider
$5-$7 for a glass of wine
BBQ will be available
Please bring cash if possible

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