AFTER nearly 30 years at the Stawell Warriors, Mark Stainsby will frequent Central Park much less in 2018 after a recent move to Geelong.
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Stainsby first pulled on the boots for the Warriors in 1990 and he quickly found himself on the committee the following year.
He remained on the committee as the club merged with Stawell Redlegs in 1998 to become the Stawell Warriors.
“I was on the committee until about 2007 when I took three or four years off,” he said.
He said there was a lot more work for committees to do now than in the past.
I’ll be back for a few beers and to watch a game during the season.
- Mark Stainsby
“There are a lot of Ts to cross and Is to dot,” he said.
“Raising funds is particularly hard these days; a lot of hard work goes in behind the scenes from people on and off the committee. Everyone needs to put in to raise funds because it’s crucial to clubs.”
He said he had always considered communication especially important in his role.
“You need to be letting your supporters know what is going on, you need to be communicating with your sponsors and everyone else around the club,” he said. “If everyone is informed they then feel involved.”
Playing in Ararat District Football Association premierships in 1995 and 1996 with the Warriors were highlights for Stainsby.
“It was also good to get a couple of best and fairest awards in 1993 and 1994,” he said.
“When the Stawell Warriors won the premiership 2000, it was really good after only two years as a club. Really a lot of my best memories are about being surrounded by good people and watching the kids play.”
After playing all of his football at the club he said it was important that to give back.
“There are a lot of good people around the club and it is never just one person that makes a club,” he said. “It’s the past life members who aren’t at the club who have made it what it into what it is today.”
Stainsby said he would be keep a keen eye on how the team goes despite the move.
“The pathway the club is going down is good and they’ve got a good lineup this year. I think they’ll definitely be a top five club again,” he said.“I know the club has lost a couple of players but getting Jack Anthony on board was a real coup for the club – he’s been close a couple of times in the past and it will bring more people through the gates. I’ll miss the club but I’ll be back for a few beers and to watch a game during the season.”