VAFA Tigers dig in to fend off COVID-19 threat
The coronavirus pandemic has hit St Bedes/Mentone Tigers hard but the leading VAFA club is rallying and president Lou Prichard Nicholson has a plan to recognise community loyalty and sacrifice.
South East
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They’re not sure what form the recognition will take.
It might be a plaque or an honour board.
It might be a special jumper.
Or it might even be a face mask.
But whatever the committee decides, it will reference COVID-19 and stand as a permanent tribute to the people who helped St Bedes/Mentone Tigers through a tough time.
Anyone who pledges their 2020 subscriptions will have the option of being acknowledged for their part in what president Lou Prichard Nicholson called an “exceptional time’’ in the club’s history.
“We are being asked to work together as a community in ways we never have before,’’ she told members in a newsletter.
“At SBMT we want to ensure the club members who pledged their subs are remembered for years and generations to come. While we understand everyone’s situations are different, this sacrifice may be what keeps our Tigers roaring into 2021 and beyond.’’
More than most football clubs, the Tigers’ finances have been strained by the coronavirus pandemic.
Even before the season was cancelled they had to make “significant’’ financial contributions to the building upgrades at their Brindisi St ground and Southern Rd Reserve.
And ahead of the season that never was the club ordered and paid for merchandise, apparel, footballs and other equipment.
It also paid affiliation fees on an “early bird’’ basis.
St Bedes/Mentone Tigers operate senior and junior football, and all its teams were sidelined as first the Victorian Amateur Football Association and then the South Metro Junior Football League scrapped their seasons.
The loss of fees and a reduction in sponsorships from businesses feeling the impact of COVID-19 placed the Tigers under pressure.
The club’s finance director, premiership player Jonathan Kane, said the situation couldn’t be sugar-coated.
He said the pandemic had had a “fairly devastating effect on the financial position of the club’’.
The timing of restrictions and lockdowns was a disaster.
“On the eve of the VAFA season we were forced into restrictions, this was in spite of the football club having spent many thousands of dollars on the season ahead,’’ Kane said.
“A similar situation has occurred on the SMJFL side with the second lockdown occurring on the eve of the adjusted season beginning. To be ready for both the SMJFL and VAFA seasons the club spent just over $100,000 on equipment, merchandise, affiliation fees, occupancy costs and other operating costs.
“I would like to stress that the building contributions have been managed from the building levy fund and council and government grants, with no general revenue diverted to pay for the building and renovation.’’
While the situation was worrying, there was “light at the end of the tunnel’’.
Kane said the club spent many hours budgeting the rest of the season and assessing different outcomes, and was confident it would get through.
“Without being dramatic, the survival of the football club will come down to the assistance of the members,’’ he said.
Prichard Nicholson said today the Tigers had received tremendous support.
She said those who could were pledging their 2020 subs, and sponsors who would not receive the services and exposure they had paid for had stood by the club.
Prichard Nicholson said she aware of a report by the Australian Sports Foundation stating that many community sporting clubs would not make it through the pandemic.
“That really worries me, not from the perspective of us closing because we are determined to make it through, but we want to see all clubs survive, not just from the footy side of it, but the community aspect of it,’’ she said.
“Those clubs are the extension of households and families, and are there for people going through trying times. It gives them that sense of belonging.’’
She said she was from a fourth-generation Mentone family and understood the importance of the football club to the local community.
“It helps us identify with who we are. We have got some amazing people in out little community, and it is a little community, and we often call the footy club our winter family. I’m very proud how people have come out and said, ‘What can I do to support the club?’’’
The Tigers have a number of fundraising initiatives on the go, including discounted ground signage; selling Tiger-branded red and white wine; pushing scarfs, beanies, hoodies, polos, puffer jackets and vests from its online store; promoting ticket sales for the Toyota Good For Footy raffle; making tax-deductible contributions to the building projects; and memberships.
Prichard Nicholson said the Tiger community was eager to help but it had become apparent that some people were struggling.
“We do have families who are going through a tough time with job losses and so on,’’ she said.
“We’re mindful of that and we’re getting the message out that the club is here for them and if they need anything, let us know. We want to convey that sense of support.’’
St Bedes/Mentone Tigers are developing an online mental health program with help from qualified counsellors.
The Tigers play in Premier B section of the VAFA and won fame far beyond amateur circles when clinched three consecutive premierships under the coaching of Luke Beveridge.
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