Ida Marcon Medal

Ivanhoe’s inaugural women’s B&F medal is named in honour of Ida Marcon, or “Ivanhoe Ida” as she was best known.

Ida was a club legend who was a fanatical “umbrella lady” who taunted opposition players for nearly 50 years until her death in 1990.

Rain, hail or shine, Ida would be standing next to the opposition players’ race with her pink umbrella, yelling “C’mon Hoes” and getting into the opposition’s heads with her quirky and often amusing catcalls.

Opponents lining up for goal would fluff their kicks if she yelled “Chewy on yer boot”, tough district rivals like Ormond would be denounced as “Chocolate Soldiers” and Collegians were dubbed “Purple People Eaters”.

Some opposition player even claimed to have been on the receiving end of a jab from her brolly, though we think that was more in their minds after another nightmare trip to Fortress Ivanhoe.

Ida has been described as “the greatest female supporter in amateur football” and as “the epitome of the love, friendship and camaraderie that exists at amateur level”. She was widely respected by all.

She was more than just a great supporter – she devoted long hours and copious energy to raising funds and performing innumerable behind-the-scenes tasks of the sort that many token supporters would ever appreciate or consider necessary.

And Ivanhoe has 11 women life members and Ida was the first in 1963, being honoured alongside her husband Gus who was a quiet, gentle long-serving committeeman.

She is also the only Ivanhoe clubwoman and the first women to be recognised for her unique contributions with a Certificate of Merit from the VAFA in 1981.

At her funeral in 1990, the club’s Team of the Century president Harry Thomas recalled that Ida’s presence was so intrinsic that it seemed “no Ivanhoe game would begin without Ida calling out “Go the Hoes!”

It is only appropriate that our women’s best and fairest award be named in honour of our greatest clubwoman.