CLUB PROFILE HISTORY TAKEN FROM ORIGINAL BOOKS 1972 - 1973.
The Roleystone Junior Football club was established in 1973 by a small number of parents in the community. The following is a copy of the hand written notes in recorded in the first books of the Roleystone Junior Football Club
1972 could well be called the year of the Tigers, the Roleystone Tigers, for it was in 1972 that this story began, and as the years go by the story in this book will lengthen.
It is hoped that the activities and records of our club will be written in this book so as in the future we will e able to look back and remember some of the things that have been achieved.
It all began in about July 1972 when Alan Pearson and Jim Morrissey decided to see just how many boys there were interested in Australian Rules Football.
Saturday morning at 9.00am was the time and about 20 eager boys turned up to have a run, aged from about 4 years to 12 years old. Jim Morrissey took them for their first training runs. Soon we had grown to 309 and it was decided to hold a social match against Perth Centrals. Their team was under 11 years, ours was picked from all the boys available. Well our first match, the first game of football organized outside of the local primary school, and we won. Maybe not a very significant win to most, but an important one to the boys who played.
There were a couple of other social games that year, we won and lost, but the first one was the important one because it meant the beginning of Australia Rules in Roleystone.
By the end of 1972 season there was a strong following of parents who wanted to form an interim committee to draw up a constitution and run the activities of the boys until a club was properly formed.
This committee was to try and affiliate with the South Suburban Junior Association, draw up the constitution and raise money to present to an Annual General meeting in April 1973.
The committee President Jim Morrissey, Vice President A Lance, 3rd Vice President Ray Pound, Secretary A Pearson, Treasurer Mrs B Lorie.
The above committee held many meetings during the course of the remainder of 1972. Some meetings were made general to get the feeling and views of other people who were interested but not on the committee. The first Annual General Meeting was brought forward to March 1973.
Before the 1972 season finished there were up to 60 boys of various ages coming to Saturday morning training. Originally it was decided to make a team of U10 years but with the response of the Roleystone football club were to nominate U12 years as well.
The season drew to a close and all agreed to finish off with a “players tea” in the Old Roleystone Hall. As usual it was a feast provided by the mothers who had worked so hard to see that the boys had the best of everything.
The boys had also been asked to nominate a nick name for our club. And the name TIGERS was the favored – probably because the committee had decided to use the black and gold colors similar to the State Jumper.
1973 season began with the Annual General Meeting on the 9th March. Ray Pound and Les Annison had drafted a constitution which would be adopted, office bearers were
Pres. J Morrissey, V Pres R Pound, Secretary A Pearson, Treasurer L Annison, Property Maint L Annison, Social Sec R McManus, P & D Board D Shepherd, Delegates R Pound & L Annison, Goal Umpire D Winstanley.
So the season was underway and soon we had our two coaches. The U10’s were to be coached by Joe Valenta. The U12’s by Frank Stephenson. Mr Don Shepard was approached to become patron of the club and he gladly accepted the position.
Two sets of jumpers had to be purchased at a cost of $150.00 per set which at the time seemed a mountainous task. The club decided to suggest to the associated that it hold a lightning carnival before the season, to raise money. The association agreed to support us in this and soon we were busy making arrangements. U10’s & U12’s – 14 teams in all. The day came, a day that would test the organizing ability of our club. It is of course history now at the efficient and workman like way in which the whole thing went off and the club came through the test with flying colors.
Soon the 1973 season was under way; many boys were to represent our club this year. It was a great sight to see our own boys playing football in their own district.
2007 SEASON
From this date the Roleystone Junior Football club has grown in size to now offer facilities to some 203 players in the 2007 season. We have a number of girls playing in our teams and the “efficiency and workman like way” from 1973 is now stronger and still run by volunteer parents and committee members.
Our reputation is growing with Roleystone winning Club of the Year in 2005 and our U12’s coach (Sam Saffioti Stoneybrook Contractors) winning Coach of the Year in 2006. Our youth team members always pole well in the best and fairest votes at the end of year for the overall association.
This year has seen a record number of sponsors offer to help our club in many ways with provision of banners, jumpers, training shirts, team equipment bags, equipment for training, gifts and prizes for our annual Quiz Night and the offer of major sponsorship of 7500.00 per annum for our club over 3 years through LJ Hooker Roleystone and the kind principal Sam Saffioti.
This year has also been one of the best with 2 youth teams U13’s & U14’s doing extremely well in their results. As well as this all teams back to Auskick are doing very well with a very strong contingency of parents and families helping in all ways to assist the teams, players and overall running of the games each weekend.
Our Registrar Greg Wrighton has also produced a 5 star website for our club – giving an insight to club news, events, committee members, game reports, ladders and results and a great contact point for players, parents and local community to see what is happening in and around the club. The players love to read about themselves, their results and also follow the ladder for the youth teams.
The website also allows our sponsors to be show cased and linked to the site to promote their businesses and any offers available. This has been a big draw card to businesses in the community as well as parents who are involved in business within the Perth Metropolitan Area.
Support from the local community has also been strong with parents and relatives of players attending the many games throughout the weekend and not just local games – lots of traveling for parents early Saturday and Sunday mornings show much dedication from all concerned. Locally we are no thought of a strong, productive club with lots to offer and our registrations continue to grow not just in Roleystone but throughout Kelmscott, Armadale and Karragullen.
Our club history is also very important to players and people involved in the club with our end of season dinner for our teams, parents, sponsors and community to attend give the club the chance to thank all concerned as well as invite our life members, past members, patrons etc. This is a fabulous evening and is something the club strives to improve on each year.
MOVING FORWARD.
To ensure the Roleystone Junior Football club continues to flourish and grow in the coming years the committee this year has decided to work tirelessly on improving the success of the club. This has involved the implementation of a business plan, advertising campaign, sponsorship contracts, good equipment supplies, training for coaches, committee, team managers and all concerned with running the club efficiently.
One of the main issues that we have worked on is the ongoing use of our club rooms, grounds and facilities. Along with The Roleystone T-Ball Club it is envisaged that we will be able to use the grounds of Springdale Park for many years to come.
In securing a lease or taking on the assignment of the Sport & Rec Association Lease we would be in the position to further improve and work on the grounds and club rooms in a manner suitable to both the City of Armadale and both clubs concerned.
To date discussions with the council have been favorable in regards to the lease being issued to Roleystone Junior Football Club for the remaining 3 years of the current lease as a trial period with summer season seeing the facilities being used by T-Ball.
The original lighting plans have been tracked down and discussion with Bruce Cairns and Pat Quinliven will hopefully allow for an updated version of the original lighting plan to be submitted for approval.
Discussion also were favorable with Council applying for funding for 1 lighting fixture before the 2008 season finishes and another for the 2009 season. Council was also keen to help in any way in seeing this through. Roleystone Junior Football club were also very favorable and hoping to assist with some funds towards this project in the vicinity of around 4000.00 with trench digging, concreting and other assistance being provided may reduce the amount needed.
The Club is in a very strong position at the moment and the leasing of Springdale Park would allow the club to continue to produce fine footballers in our community as well as a wonderful facility for the community to use.
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