Article and Images provided by the Sunbury Football Club
FOOTBALL: What an amazing week leading up to March 26 celebrations at the Carriers.
Tuesday Night Games: Both our teams did us proud with the u/17 Team defeating Doonvilla 3-1 while Team Blue had a 6-1 win against KSS.
All our little Teams had a fun day with some amazing scores, but most of all played in good spirit.
Saturday Games with the u/23’s showing some great skill to come away with a 6-1 win against Granville. The Ladies were 1-0 up with only a few minutes left of the game when an injury called time on the game. The girls were playing well with a couple of missed opportunities.
Premier League Men verse Granville saw the boys win 2-0 in an entertaining close encounter. Well done to both teams. It was an honour to have some of the older Sunbury Members visiting for the reunion to hand the players their jerseys for the game.
It was a night to remember for all 170 members who attended the 50th reunion. It was a privilege to have Robbie and Sandra Paterson and Ken and Wendy Beikoff attend and to speak about their involvement in starting Sunbury Sports Association. Robbie was the inaugural President, and Ken was the Vice President. How incredible to have both these important members join us 50 years later to help celebrate this special milestone.
We also were very honoured to have Greg Hambrecht, Gary Dale, Barry Linwood (Truck), Michelle Byrne, Brett Hambrecht, Helen Dudley, Mark Sawtell, Kayleen Dowling, Maree Sawtell, David Chapman, Alannah Sauer, Grant Sawtell, Josh Linwood speak about the different decades of Sunbury and their experiences. They shared some fascinating facts, the camaraderie within the club, and the funny stories.
A huge contingent of older guys, with some being the first players to sign up for Sunbury Sports Association, was in attendance. Some memorable moments include Two ladies who were from the 1977 Ladies Team that won the first Premiership for Sunbury were also in attendance. Congratulations, Janelle Hilliard (Wright) and Sharon Wright; it took 24 years for the next Premiership to be won in 2001.
The ladies’ teams have a very proud history of winning Premierships, League Championships and appearances in Grand Finals. The men were very proud to win its first Premiership in 2006, and then to repeat it for another three years is a feat that’s never been matched. We also had a junior team winning 3 Premierships in a row from u/11, u/12 and u/13 (when there were finals held for u/11 &u/12). More recently, in the last three years, a young Junior Team has won 3 Premierships in a row plus a Wide Bay Championship from u/12, u/13, u/14 and are competing in a Wide Bay League this season- 2022.
Sunbury also had a couple of Softball players in attendance, Jodie Chew (Challacombe) and Michelle Byrnes (Coulch), who started with T ball in their Primary School days, and were also involved with Netball and Basketball. Oh! The memories.
It was an amazing night for all and extended into the early hours of Sunday. So many travelled to reminisce and join in the celebrations; we can’t thank you enough for attending and sharing stories, some serious and some funny and the many achievements on and off the fields of all sports.
We honoured Life Member Judy Foster, who sadly lost her battle three years ago. She joins a list of special and very much loved members who achieved so much for Sunbury. Remembering Ron Dale-Allan Luck-Alec Anderson R.I.P
Patron and wife of Ron-Margaret Dale cut the 50th. Anniversary Cake, along with Jessica Chapman, who celebrated her birthday and was one of our young Sunbury Members.
Huge thank you to those who contributed to the preparations; it was appreciated by all.
Cheers to the next decade, “Go Blue” and “Here’s Luck.”
