R.I.P. Ronda Colliver (1946 to 2021)

A tough week for the AFL North Coast footy community has taken another sad turn with the news that Ronda Colliver passed away last week after a brief battle with leukaemia.

Ronda and partner Kevin Ackerly were the heartbeat of the Macleay Valley Eagles club for well over 10 years. Both Ronda and Kev poured countless hours into AFL in the region through their efforts in running development clinics in schools, administering the club, coaching, and preparing grant applications. More importantly, they volunteered as much time, if not more, to collect kids from their homes and drive them to training and matches as well as providing meals, care, and acting as registered respite carers for a number of the players.

In 2015 Ronda and Kev were jointly awarded the AFL North Coast Junior Competition Volunteer of the Year award for their efforts. In October of that same year they took a group of 32 players, parents, and siblings on a six day trip from Kempsey to Townsville and Cairns where they played two matches against local teams and were involved in a number of Indigenous cultural activities.

In 2016 the duo were selected amongst 12 national finalists in the Suncorp Bank Hidden Local Heroes award for their amazing work with the footy club.

The following year (2017) Ronda and Kev were acknowledged for their unselfish work within the community for the past decade when the received a Federal Member’s Award from their local Federal Member of Parliament.

Ronda will be sadly missed by all who knew and admired her. Our thoughts are with Kevin and his family at this trying time.

Kev has indicated that he intends to stay in the region and is looking forward to COVID restrictions lifting so that he can get back to helping kids explore their love of AFL.