Footy commentator Andrew Voss reveals his secret passion for flowers

HE’S A Fox Sports footy commentator by day and a flower delivery boy by night. For the first time, Andrew Voss reveals his secret double life.

Andrew Voss reveals he has a secret passion for flowers to Stellar.

FROM the age of seven, all I wanted to do was be a rugby league commentator. My dad died when I was eight and I think rugby league really became my world after that. I fell in love with the sport and it became a massive part of my life. I’ve been a commentator for more than 30 years now.

People are staggered when they find out that I’m also a flower buyer and delivery boy. Most of my colleagues go into shock when I tell them.

Voss carrying out his day job at the Fox League channel launch with Matt Shirvington. Picture: Richard Dobson

I started helping my wife Simone with her corporate floristry business, Fleur Sydney, 18 months ago. Simone is also a professional make-up artist, so when she increased her make-up work, I had to step up and do the buying, clean the vases and make the deliveries.

There are no shortcuts with floristry. When I get to the Sydney Flower Market at 5am, I need to know my ranunculus from my peonies, what’s good quality and what’s not. I’ve enjoyed learning all of that – it’s totally out of my skill set.

When I started, I thought, “How the hell am I going to learn all these flower names?” It was doing my head in so I printed out photos of the flowers with their basic names and made a scrapbook. I call it Flowers For Dummies.

I strive to hear two words every week from my wife: “Good buying.” That means I’ve done my job. I’m proud when I see what Simone puts together with what I bought.

As the deliveryman, I’ve turned up at pubs to drop off flowers and they’ve had Fox Sports on the TV with a game I’ve called. I get recognised a lot and I’ve had a few weird looks. I’m often wearing a cap so I pull it down a little further…

Stellar, April 9.

Juggling my footy and flower careers is a military operation. I have to stay on top of things. I’m always moving but that’s OK because I can’t sit still anyway.

Since starting in the flower industry, I have learnt that you don’t need to do one job your whole life. It’s not such a bad thing to broaden your horizons and explore what else is out there.

I’m really glad that I’ve been introduced to the flower game. It’s a good industry to work in – no one’s unhappy when they get flowers.

I can declare, hand on my heart, that I’m proud to be a flower boy.

ANDREW’S TIPS FOR LEADING A DOUBLE LIFE

1. Write down everything in a diary and have a flexible schedule. Commitments are

everything, so you can’t fall behind.

2. Get out of bed on your first alarm. An extra five minutes of sleep does no good.

3. Don’t take shortcuts. I live by the saying, “He who fails to prepare, prepares to

fail.”

Stuff You May Have Missed by Andrew Voss (New Holland Publishers, $29.99) is out in June.

Originally published as Footy commentator Andrew Voss reveals his secret passion for flowers