Joan, the ‘heart and soul’ of Souths Logan Magpies in Queensland
JOAN is the “heart and soul” of her local footy team, and it has to be an extremely good excuse for her to miss a day volunteering for her club.
JOAN is the “heart and soul” of her local footy team.
It has to be an extremely good excuse for Joan to miss a day volunteering on the gate or in the canteen for her beloved Souths Logan Magpies — the oldest rugby league club in Queensland.
“I have a great grandson who is turning one on July 30 so I’m going to ask for the day off,” says Joan.
“But just one day — I’ll be right back here again the day after.”
For 48 years CommBank’s Australian of the Day has stood behind the Magpies through the highs and lows of every season, be it manning the canteen, making up lolly bags, keeping the players well stocked in cold cans of drink or answering the clubhouse phone.
She is, said club CEO Jim McClelland, “the heart and soul of the club.”
“Ohh, I think that’s going a bit too far,” says Joan, 74.
“I just love the job, I love the boys and I love being involved.”
Joan’s volunteer career at the Magpies began almost by accident in 1968.
“A friend of mine said to me, ‘How would you like to come and give us a hand in the canteen on the weekend?’” Joan recalls.
“It was as simple as that and I’ve been here ever since. From then on it just became a part of me.”
Today Joan has outlasted many a club member, including her son Doug who joined not long after she did.
“He started playing when he was four but he only played for a couple of years and gave it away when he was seven,” she says.
“The footy wasn’t for him but I’ve got a great love of the game.”
Often Joan will spend seven days a week at the club doing odd jobs, taking care of the finer details and making sure everything runs smoothly.
“On game days I’m on the gate here and when the boys go away I don’t mind going away with them so I’ll go up to Cairns, Rockhampton, Mackay or wherever they’re playing,” she says.
The rewards, says Joan, aren’t always of the trophy cabinet variety.
“We haven’t won a premiership for ages but I still follow them,” she says.
“I’d love to see them win all the time but that’s not what footy is all about — it’s about people and relationships. That’s the reward.”
CommBank has partnered with News Corp Australia to champion the Australian of the Day initiative which celebrates people in our neighbourhoods and communities who really make a difference to how we live and who we are. You can read all their stories at australianoftheday.com.au, where you can also nominate someone you know.
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