STAWELL - Stawell couple Andrew and Debbie Bach were honoured at the Wimmera Football League and Netball Association best and fairest awards on Monday night.
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The league made Andrew a legend while Debbie received a life membership.
Both were recognised following their long-serving commitments to both Wimmera football and netball.
Andrew, who coached both Stawell Warriors and Wimmera Football's interleague team in 2012, said he was shocked to receive the award.
"I wasn't going to go (to the best and fairest awards), I wasn't interested really. But with Deb being president of the netball...then I got a whisper that she was going to be a life member, so I thought 'I'd better go,'" Bach said.
Bach was unable to say how many years he has been with Wimmera football.
"In '95 I came back to Stawell, but I played with them before I had a stint at Swifts. Let's just say a long time," he said.
For the record, Bach has been involved with Stawell football for 23 years.
He started in 1989, coaching under 16 Stawell Football Club to a premiership and won Stawell's senior best and fairest the same year.
Bach was made life member of Stawell Football Club Inc in 1992 before moving across to Swifts and coached them to dual premierships in 1993-94.
In 1994, he won the Wimmera Coaches Association Coach of the Year award and a year later moved back to Stawell, coaching the seniors to a premiership.
He was also awarded best on ground that day.
Bach played approximately 215 senior games for Stawell over the 23 years.
He has also had various roles in the league including being an interleague selector, coach of the Big W senior side for two years (2011/12) and a successful coach of the WFL under 18 side for three years.
Bach has also represented the Big W on several occasions and has even been a runner.
He said he was unsure at this stage if he will continue to be involved with Wimmera football.
Meanwhile, Bach's wife Debbie said it was a 'very big surprise' to receive her life membership.
"There were four life member nominations and I didn't realise the girls had put together one for me as well," she said.
Debbie has held executive positions with Stawell, has been president of Warriors netball and is currently serving a one-year term as president of Wimmera Netball Association.
She has been a club delegate with the Wimmera League and also is in her first year as part of the WFL commission.
Debbie plans to continue her role in the commission next year.