Simon named as a NSW/ACT 2024 Volunteer of the Year

A COACH from the northern end of the AFL North Coast football community has been recognised on the list of NSW/ACT winners in the Toyota AFL National Volunteer Awards for 2024.

Simon MacGregor from the Lower Clarence Suns has been named as the NSW/ACT Toyota AFL Community Coach of the Year (man).

Simon has supported the growth of AFL in the small rugby dominated town of Yamba and the Lower Clarence Suns have now built to having Under 10 and Under 12 mixed teams within two years of the club forming.

He has been instrumental in the growth and has gone out of his way to ensure all kids participate in the club including local Indigenous families as well as children with special needs who are also included in the club by providing one on one support to families to ensure they feel supported.

Simon has also supported the young girls in the community to play to ensure the genders are equal in the teams.

He is patient and supportive and his love for the game is real. Along with performing coaching duties himself, Simon has empowered other parents to become coaches and the local games at the Yamba Sporting Complex are becoming a much needed event in Yamba.

On top of the above, “Trippa” also organised for Carlton players Tom de Koning and Brodie Kemp who were in town enjoying a bye week holiday to speak to the kids at training.

Yamba is now abuzz with AFL and the lunch time footy kicks at the local primary school now happen because the school has a set of AFL goalposts in the ground thanks to Simon.

A richly deserved honour to a true ambassador for the game.