MPNFL: Sara Burke takes on the Karingal presidency

The Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League has its only female club president, with Sara Burke taking the reins at Karingal. She explains why she took the plunge and is “super positive’’ about the future.

New Karingal president Sara Burke has been a fine netballer for Karingal. Picture: Frankie Photography

The running of the Bulls will have a female’s touch.

Karingal Football and Netball Club has a new president, 37-year-old mother of three Sara Burke.

The Burke name is royalty at Karingal; Sara’s husband is Bulls champion Michael, the club’s games record holder and greatest-ever player.

Sara helped set up Karingal’s netball department in 2011 and has been a talented player ever since, winning a league best and fairest in C Grade in 2015.

She says her love of the club — stemming from Michael — convinced her to put her hand up after president Troy Callahan stepped down after five years at the helm.

Sara had been vice president so it was a natural progression, although she was initially hesitant to step into the top job.

“I didn’t think I could commit the time to it,” said Sara, who also runs her own business, Elite Property Management Group.

But after some thought, she agreed to take it on.

“I’ll just have to be very good with my time,” she said.

“I’ve had lots and lots of people offering their support so it’s been really good.”

Michael Burke in action for Karingal lasgt season. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Sara says Michael’s love of Karingal has “rubbed off’’ on her.

“He goes about his business but I will never forget, we were early days, and a rival footy club rang him and offered him $500 a game,’’ she said.

“At that point back then that’s what I was getting paid per week. I was like, ‘wow, yeah, do it’. And he was like, nah, not interested.

“He loved the club and just wanted to play with his mates. Those calls kept coming and in the end he just wouldn’t answer his phone.

Sara Burke.

“So the passion has been passed on from him to us. I say us because I’ve got a 14 year old and he’s also a proud Karingal player.”

Sara says one of her main goals is to strengthen the relationship between Karingal’s junior and senior clubs.

Another great Karingal person, Mike Triep, has stepped up to be vice president, looking after all things football.

“He’s amazing,” Sara said.

“He’s so positive. Any time someone says they’re going here, they’re going there, he says, ‘Sar, don’t worry about it, look at who I’ve listed this week’. So I’ve really adopted that attitude which is good.”

Sara sat in on her first MPNFL club president’s meeting last week and described her contemporaries as gentlemen and welcoming.

She also hopes more females take on the role of president at local clubs.

“There’s no reason why they can’t make the transition across,” she said.

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