LIFE MEMBER COIN TOSS | SARAH BENNETT

by Megan Billerwell | Aug 20, 2023 | General, Lofty Legends Group

We would like to thank Sarah Bennett who has been a Life Member of Mount Lofty since 2015, and did us the honour of tossing the commemorative Life Member coin for our match at Arkaba Oval against the 2022 Premiers, Lobethal on Saturday August 19. 

Sarah’s dedication to Mt Lofty extends back close to 30 years and we have the Crafers Hotel to thank for that. To use her words, she “dabbled” in the social scene and after a few beers at the Crafers, agreed to be a trainer for the club. Her first game turned into a baptism of fire with the only trainer at the time, Richard Miles, having to take his son to hospital and in rather colourful circumstances took on the main role under guidance from Andrew Downes and John Bowes.

Things certainly looked up after that with Sarah being very fortunate to receive guidance from an incredible mentor in then Head Trainer, Joan Smith and also Margaret Cullen. 

Sarah to this day, still assists the club as a back up trainer, after what seems like a lifetime of carrying out the role, including a couple of stints as head trainer. Her volunteer involvement over the years has covered many activities in addition to the training role – a couple of years on the committee, producing the Devils newsletter, organising social functions, developing and maintaining the club website, managing club email accounts, establishing social media accounts and creating promotional materials and assisting the Lofty Legends Group. 

Little wonder then that Life Membership was conferred on this amazing club woman.

But, if this was not enough, Sarah was one of the inaugural players when Mt Lofty first fielded a women’s team in 2016 in the SAWFL, later ADFLW Comp before moving to the HFL. Bringing great knowledge of the game and the club to the young women, this lively forward who loved to kick a cheeky goal, was the ideal mentor while still strapping players before the game. Incredible to think that she debuted in her 40’s, returned to the game after a knee reconstruction and going on to play 51 games. Topping all of that though is the fact that she is the only player to have actually played her first football match ever as a Life Member of the club. Probably not too many in the entire history of the game to have achieved that.Sarah’s wonderful selflessness is best summarised with her words “Above all, I cherish the friendships, connections, my marriage, and the memories that have come from being part of MLDFC and the local football community. I’ve been lucky to work with a fabulous bunch including Megsy, Deb OB, Jessica and JoJo and the current crew of Sarah J, Lauren and Jason. As well as some awesome players, coaches, team managers, runners and other club volunteers.”

Thanks for everything Sarah!

WORDS FROM SARAH: 

After dabbling in the social scene at the club in the 90s I agreed to be a trainer one Friday night after a few pints at the Crafers. Not really knowing what I had signed up for, I was fortunate to receive guidance from Joan Smith and Margaret Cullen. As head trainer, Joan was an incredible mentor and truly passionate about the role.

I was thrown in the deep end with my first game as a trainer – a trial match at Yankalilla. Richard Miles was meant to be there but when I arrived (wearing half of my meat pie and sauce lunch down the front of my white t-shirt), I found he had taken his son (Eddie) to hospital with a broken arm, and I was left with Andrew Downes and John Bowes to show me the ropes… 

With a couple of stints as head trainer and over many years as a trainer, mostly for the super Bs, I’ve been lucky to work with a fabulous bunch including Megsy, Deb OB, Jessica and JoJo and the current crew of Sarah J, Lauren and Jason. As well as some awesome players, coaches, team managers, runners and other club volunteers.

Highlights of my involvement at Mt Lofty include the 2005 B-Grade season (my brother Tom and Rick both played in the team that went from wooden spooners to premiers), training alongside Rick when he coached the U15s, U17s and Bs, the most recent 2022 B-Grade flag, a couple of very memorable-for-all-the-wrong-reasons C-Grade games, and last but not least, the opportunity to play in the inaugural women’s team – perhaps the first (and last) person at the club to commence their ‘playing career’ after becoming a life member. 

Other volunteer roles past and current include a couple of years on the committee, producing the Devils newsletter, organising social functions, developing and maintaining the club website, managing club email accounts, establishing social media accounts and creating promotional materials.Above all, I cherish the friendships, connections, my marriage, and the memories that have come from being part of MLDFC and the local football community.