IT’S not surprising that football-netball clubs will attempt to create a sense of occasion when they hand out the honour of club life membership.
What with the volunteer work that many of these highly-valued individuals contribute, over many years, often after a full playing career, they are awards that are richly deserved.
But few if any also have their own carpark, in a prime location, right on the boundary line fence.
That’s the case with famous Leongatha supporter Mrs Elaine Ollie.
There’s even a rather irreverent song that the players used to sing about Mrs Ollie on their way home by bus, back in the day, especially after a victory at such far flung places as Bairnsdale, Maffra and Sale.
Her involvement in the club stretches back six decades and transcends her 88 years, to the point where she still connects with players past and present, old and young.
At their last home and away game, against Morwell, Mrs Ollie was accorded an honour that brought tears to her eyes.
Sitting in her car, in its reserved carpark on the sidelines, Mrs Ollie was surprised when all the senior players, out on the ground for their pre-match warm-up, stopped and sang “happy birthday” to mark Mrs Ollie’s 88th birthday that day.
“It was quite a surprise, very unexpected, but very nice,” said Mrs Ollie.
“I’ve been supporting them since they rejoined the Latrobe Valley Football League, back in 1969 it would have been, and then they won the next year.”
Mrs Ollie might not have seen much of the footy in those days, often locked away with the other ladies in the canteen and attending to any one of a number of match-day duties in her role as secretary of the ladies committee. But she knew all the players and shared their ups and downs.
“It’s been a fantastic club over the years. We have had our dry spells but overall, they’ve been pretty successful.”
However, it's also a well known fact that Mrs Ollie can get pretty grumpy if they lose.
As well as the song, there was also a birthday cake at afternoon tea time, put on by the ladies committee of today, some of whom served with Elaine when she was more active in the affairs of the club.
As permanent a structure on match day as the goal posts and the grandstand, Mrs Ollie’s car is one of those things the players will often look for when acclimatizing themselves to the conditions and the surrounds… and may it ever be so. Happy birthday, Mrs Ollie!