Senior Men's & Women's Football and Netball, Junior Boys & Girls Football, Auskick and over 35's Veterans and Masters Football. Affiliated with EFNL. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional custodians of the land in Boronia.
Thanks once again to Jackson Taylor MP for his great support of our Club through the COVID-19 support package for community sport and recreation bodies.
It is a tough time for all community clubs, and our footy and netball players and supporters are naturally disappointed, but understanding of the cancellation of our senior seasons. It is good to know that you and Dan Andrews are looking out for the grassroots sporting clubs that are so important to suburban and country Victoria.
Thank you also to our Special K Team, Karen Little and Kerryn Westcott who are doing a brilliant job in seeking grants for the Club to support our programs. We are very grateful to these two ladies who put in the time and effort to work through complicated grants applications for the benefit of all club members.
As a club, and Boronia community, we’re all feeling disappointed with the decision to cancel the 2020 season for senior men and women.
The club plays such a huge part of the lives and wellbeing of so many people, and to know that we will need to go without it for the foreseeable future, in a time when perhaps we need it most, is hard to swallow. With so many sad and tragic events in Australia and around the world, we must keep our footy in perspective but we all could do with the support of our footy family that comes from sharing a laugh at training and on game day.
In saying this, we appreciate and acknowledge the leadership of the EFNL in navigating through an unprecedented situation. We recognise that this has been a difficult decision with a number of factors in play, and ultimately the decision has been based on the health and safety of all of our members, and the future viability of club’s within the league. In a tough time, we can’t do anything but respect this decision and appreciate the work that’s occurred and will continue to occur, behind the scenes for the betterment of football and netball in the east.
As a Club we are in strong position, and we have an amazing group of volunteers and supporters. We’ve created some serious momentum and our Board and Committees will keep pushing to ensure we are in an even stronger position when senior football and netball returns in 2021.
Thank you to all of our club members for their positivity and resilience over the past few months. I couldn’t be more proud of the club and know we will face the next period in the same way.
While we’re thrilled our junior footballers will be able to participate in a modified season, and look forward to supporting our little Hawka’s in 2020, we still face a number of challenges, but will meet them with thorough planning and optimism.
We will continue to build our Club off the field with renewed enthusiasm to ensure that we continue the momentum we’ve created over the past few years. We will come back stronger.
Our focuses are clear for the remainder of 2020:
The health and wellbeing of our senior players and members – the consequential impacts on the health, wellbeing and social connection of club members can not be underestimated. Continuing engagement and support will be the overwhelming priority over the coming months.
Building our momentum off-field – we will continue our work off the field to strengthen our strategic and operational efforts.
Our Juniors – what a fantastic opportunity for the Club to throw its full support behind our junior teams for the coming months and help foster the next generation of Boronia men and women.
We understand this news has been devastating for our members and encourage everyone to look at the wellbeing hub on our website, and continue to connect and support each other in a difficult time.
We also our encourage our members to be respectful with any commentary made on social media, as we understand that many may be feeling frustrated and disappointed with the decision.
For our Juniors, we’re excited to support you with all of the Club behind you. Coaches will begin to communicate with each group in the coming days.
If anyone has questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Scott on 0403 238 494. Thanks again to everyone in the HAWKA community. You’re all amazing, and YOU are the reason this Club is what it is today.
GO HAWKA.
Scott Nicholas
Chairman, Boronia Hawks Football Netball Club Inc.
“Please find attached a timeline that the League is working to with AFL Victoria and the other Metropolitan Leagues. We believe a united approach is critical to working through and making any decisions on Competitions. Hopefully this provides some clarity at least in terms of key dates and when you can expect to hear further updates”.
The Club’s Board of Directors has been meeting regularly via Zoom in the last few months to manage the impact of Covid-19 on the Club’s operations. Following the recent announcements from the the Victorian Government, AFL Victoria and EFNL, we had an expanded Board meeting last night with representatives from our senior and junior football, netball, veterans and Auskick sections. Thanks to Ash Johnston, Candyce Wright, Kat McMahon, Sam Dunkinson and Wayne Preston for their important contributions to our preparations.
Although the Club is subject to the release of guidelines and protocols from the governing bodies, we are able to start planning for the eventual resumption of managed training sessions in groups of ten (plus a coach or manager). We are developing our own set of training guidelines so all players and coaches will fully understand their ongoing obligations to personal hygiene and social distancing. We will be ready when the time comes.
The most pleasing aspect of the meeting was to hear of the enthusiastic engagement by our senior playing groups over the last two months. Our senior mens and women’s footballers are training in isolation, but are absolutely exceeding expectations as they build their fitness. Our players and coaches are to be congratulated for their team spirit, support for each other, and dedication to the game and the Club.
We will be in touch regularly, so please keep your eye out for updates on our website and Facebook pages and groups. “Hawka Talk” will continue every Wednesday night at 7:00pm on Facebook for the foreseeable future. Please tune in!
Please take care of yourselves, family and friends. Do the right thing and we will all be able to come together again as a Club.
GO HAWKA!!!
Scott Nicholas, Chairman, Boronia Hawks Football Netball Club Inc.
The Henry family will lay Bob to rest tomorrow. Sadly, only ten people are allowed to attend his funeral due to current restrictions. The family has chosen not to ‘live stream’ the memorial service. They have asked for the Club to provide a eulogy for Bob and he will be carried out to our Club’s theme song. A copy of the eulogy will be posted on our website tomorrow afternoon at the conclusion of the service.
Supporters may wish to pause for a moment to remember Bobby at 2:00pm on Friday, when the service is scheduled to commence.
The Club will hold another fitting memorial with all Bob’s friends from the Club and his family when all restrictions are lifted. The Board is currently considering additional ways to memorialise Bobby’s service to the Club for current and future generations of players and supporters.
This morning our club awoke to the sad news that our ‘legend’, our ‘patriarch, our ‘constant’, our much loved ‘Bobby‘ had passed away after a long battle with cancer. Bob was 95, a magnificent innings in every respect! Bob loved our club and we loved him back. I will never forget the images of every single senior player acknowledging and touching Bob as they left the change rooms before last year’s preliminary final. As Bob sat in his walking chair, each player thanked Bob for contribution to our club and supporters had few dry eyes!
Bob has had over 70 years of involvement at the “Hawka.’ From President in 1960 to decades as Vice President, trainer, property steward and later in life, passionate supporter, Bob saw it all and did it all. As ‘down to earth’ as anybody I’ve known, Bob left his ego at the door when he entered the rooms and just worked! From marking our the grounds with Micky to sweeping the change rooms after training and after games, Bobby was always there and was always ‘giving back.’ My first recollection of meeting Bob was in 1980 when he was vice president but also a trainer wearing his white overalls on match day. He would run out to the field, wipe the mud out of your eyes with his warm towel and bucket that he carried religiously and give you some friendly advice on how to get a kick. He would curse at Shoey from taking a chair into the showers and celebrate every win as though it was his first.
Later in life, his son in law, John, would kindly drive Bobby to the club on match days and on Thursday nights. We thank you, John, for doing that for us. Mick, Ellen and Kay would make sure he was warm and had a beer and something to eat and he would watch the game from his binoculars and revel in a club victory. Bob was a player’s man and he loved to speak to our senior players after a game and god help Clarky if he tried to stop him. Bob would tell the players why he loved our club so much and that legacy of ‘giving’ is now instilled into every single player at our club.
I feel fortunate I got to know Bob, I feel even more fortunate, that Luke, my son, has two Bob Henry Medals that Bob presented to him and I feel fortunate that his club, our club, is striving to improve and grow and that he leaves a club that is in such good shape due to the hard efforts of people like Bobby during our foundation years.
We will appropriately celebrate the life of Bob Henry at our club when the social distancing rules are relaxed to the stage where we can fill our rooms and joyously recall the life and times of our Bob. On behalf of the Club I have sent our condolences through to John and his family.
Please refer to the attached update from AFL Victoria that outlines the key steps in a return to our football and netball activities.
The key message is: “we have not given up on this season. We are hopeful that we will be back on the field as soon as it is safe to do so and you can be confident that you will have our full support to ensure this return is as safe and well prepared as possible”.
“We are aiming to provide a more detailed update at the end of April, post the announcement of an expected roadmap for the elite game”.
Across sporting codes, we acknowledge COVID-19 has disrupted the sporting calendar at all levels. As restrictions and forced closures of facilities and businesses are implemented, along with social distancing and self-isolation regulations, we understand that all clubs have had to postpone Outside the Locker Room education sessions that were scheduled in the immediate future. It will be our priority to re-schedule these sessions with you at a time that is safe to do so.
Our welfare support, available via our mobile app or directly emailing our team at support@otlr.org.au is still available. Please read below for more information.
Our welfare support
Understandably during times like these, feelings of worry, anxiety and even panic can set in. Events like the new coronavirus pandemic can also trigger, exacerbate or prolong existing mental health challenges within individuals and communities.
Caring for our individual and collective mental health is more important than ever, and we encourage you to make the most of OTLR’s welfare support. Please continue to utilise our mobile app and encourage all club members, including players, management, coaches and support staff, to download the app and make use of the various features available.
Boronia Hawks FNC is very pleased to announce that Ye Jeffries has accepted the position as the Club’s Child Safety Officer for 2020. Ye is a primary school teacher, a member of our Senior Committee and is in her second year as a member of our Women’s Football Squad.
Ye Jeffries
In response to new legislation Boronia Hawks Football Netball Club has committed to having a nominated Child Safety Officer. Any grievances or incident reports regarding child safety, or suspected or known child abuse, will be directed initially to the CSO. Ye will be responsible for leading the Club towards safer practices, a more robust plan for the protection of the children at the Club, and establishing a culture of safety and growth for children.
Ye will take on this important role with guidance and support from the Club’s Board in accordance with the the requirements of AFL, AFL Victoria and EFNL.
The Club will provide additional advice regarding the suspension of EFNL activities across the competition as soon as possible.
All communications to Senior Men will be through Matt Clark, Ash Johnston and Lachie McKernan via HQ.
All communications to Senior Women will be through Scott Nicholas on the FB Group.
All communications to Netballers will be through Kat McMahon on the FB Group.
All communications to Veterans will be through Greg Joseph and Jason Davis on the FB Group.
All communications to Juniors will be through the Junior Committee on the Junior Facebook page and direct e-mail.
All general communications from the Club will be available via our website and Senior and Junior Facebook pages.
Senior men’s practice matches scheduled for 22 and 28 March are now CANCELLED.
The Club’s Board is currently discussing our own Club social events. Please be patient as we have the appropriate discussions to make informed decisions. Information will be provided at the earliest opportunity.
