Cameron column: Kicking ‘snags' at Dartmoor inspired leap of faith

Jeremy Cameron opens up about his tentative first steps into local footy as a teenager and how one particularly “slippery” character helped paved the way for his future success.

Jeremy Cameron back in his senior days at Dartmoor.

FOOTY wasn’t always my sport of choice.

And looking back on my younger days at Dartmoor, golf and cricket were my top priorities.

I didn’t make the switch to footy until I was 14 years of age.

Jeremy Cameron (top centre) in a team photo representing South West District interleague u'19s in 2009. Dartmoor in western Victoria is where Jeremy grew up and first played footy. Picture: David Geraghty, The Australian.

Dartmoor Recreation Reserve, the home of the mighty Dartmoor Giants, was literally across the road, less than 100m from my house.

But I never had any intentions of playing.

I was addicted to golf when I was eight — and I still am — but then cricket came along and I loved that.

But it was through a couple of mates that I decided to go over the road and have a kick.

Before I know it, one of the coaches followed me back home, across the road, to ask my parents if I could play in the reserves for Dartmoor that weekend.

That’s where it all started. So, I was a late comer.

My birthday was in April, so I was only 15 when I played my first season of senior footy.

There was no junior footy in town and all my mates played at Heywood, which was half an hour away.

Both my parents worked, and I was happy to play golf in town at Dartmoor Golf Club.

I never really pushed hard to play footy, but I eventually gave it a go.

At that stage, little old Dartmoor only had reserves and seniors and they were struggling for numbers.

Most of the reserves played seniors as well most weeks.

There’s only 250 people in the town, so it’s quite small, and it wasn’t easy finding players but they found a way.

LEAP OF FAITH

I was really excited to have a crack at senior footy, but I didn’t know what to expect.

I played Auskick, and I kicked the ball all the time at school at recess and lunch time, so I knew how to kick the footy and I felt my skills were all right. I just didn’t play the game.

So my start was different, but a lot of the older boys at Dartmoor looked after me.

I was quicker than most. I was the skinniest bloke by a country mile and I was quite tall, so I tried to use my speed.

Dartmoor’s Jeremy Cameron and Tyrendarra’s Ben Foster battle for the footy.

I tried to avoid getting tackled because I was worried they would break me in half.

I knew if I ever got caught by some of these blokes I would pay the price heavily for it, so I always tried to avoid getting poleaxed.

I remember kicking a few goals in my first game in the reserves and I really enjoyed that.

But I only played two reserves games and I was asked to play seniors and I finished the season there.

I don’t ever recall being intimidated or anything like that.

A few guys were coming after me late in the season because I was playing so well, but I never felt out of place at all.

I kicked 70-odd goals that season and I didn’t feel out of my depth, either.

I loved kicking snags and it all happened so quickly.

I played two seasons at Dartmoor and then I rolled into the TAC Cup at North Ballarat and straight up to Sydney to start my AFL career at the GWS Giants.

A GIANT HEARTBEAT IN A TINY TOWN

SMALL towns like Dartmoor rely so heavily on football clubs.

They are the lifeblood of the community and the real heartbeat.

When I think about my junior days, I think about all the people that helped me out along the way.

Raymond 'Slippery' Albert had a big impact on Jeremy Cameron’s career.

“Slippery” Albert is the first who comes to mind.

Everyone called him that, or “Slip”. His real name was Raymond, but no-one would know who I was talking about if I called him by his first name.

He’s played close to 700 games and he was still playing reserves when he was 60.

Jim Bailey is another stalwart at Dartmoor.

I still catch up with him and he always gives me a call to wish me well.

There’s so many — still to this day — that have followed my journey and they’re great people.

I played alongside so many people who pushed me to chase my AFL dream, and at a time when I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.

I didn’t think it was possible to go and play AFL football.

No-one had come from Dartmoor to the highest level, and the nearest was Maxy Rooke, who had played for Casterton.

As a 15-year-old, you don’t think that you’ll make it to the big time, so I’m thankful to those who pushed me along.

I just really enjoyed getting out there on a Saturday afternoon and showing people what I could do.

Back then I could jump a bit higher and I was a bit lighter, so I could take a hanger or two or take them on.

I certainly enjoyed putting on a show for the people of Dartmoor.

I used to bounce out of bed on a Saturday morning and I’m still like that now.

You wouldn’t believe how much I loved my sport as a kid.

I was kicking the footy every day in the back yard and I was always over at the oval.

I used to kick goals for hours on end, by myself, from Auskick right through.

I was doing that when I wasn’t playing, and then when I started in the reserves, I was doing it even more.

There were no issues getting out of bed. In fact, I couldn’t sleep the night before because I was so excited.

FOLLOWING FROM AFAR

NATURALLY, I find myself flicking through my phone every weekend to see how Dartmoor are going.

There’s been plenty of changes back home, with clubs switching from the Western Border to the South West league.

Heywood was in the Western Border league, but now they are in the South West, so there’s a big rivalry there.

I’ve played for both clubs. When I was playing at the Rebels, I would often go back and play when we had a bye and I ended up playing three games there.

So it’s always interesting to keep tabs on them.

School students from Dartmoor primary School with principal Rose Wombwell wearing the GWS colours in support of local hero GWS star Jeremy Cameron who is a former student. Picture: David Geraghty, The Australian.

They won a flag a few years ago and that was exciting for the club.

When I was 17 I used to always go back home when I had a weekend off and I did that for a number of years.

Then I was lucky enough to meet my partner Indi — and I made mates everywhere else, so I don’t get back there as much as I would like.

I did get homesick in my early days at the Giants. Living in Sydney when I was a teenager, having come from a tiny country town, it was challenging.

So I used to go back a lot, but not it only happens in the off-season.

But I’m always checking on how the club is going and how the boys are doing.

THE PRIDE OF DARTMOOR

I’M very proud of the Dartmoor footy club and how they go about things.

Especially the volunteers that work so hard to keep it all running … those in the canteen, scoring and running water — all the things that keep the club running.

Clubs are the heartbeat of these towns and that’s what it’s all about.

You have to support small clubs as much as possible and I’m proud that they do it so well at Dartmoor.

It’s a great town and a really good club.

It’s going to be nice to head back soon and pop my head in.

I love seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces.

Jeremy Cameron of the Cats kicks a third-quarter goal against the Blues. Picture: Michael Klein

Every time I go back, everyone’s a year older and it’s hard to believe how quickly everyone grows up.

I remember leaving Heywood High School and there were kids on the bus who were starting Year 7 and now they are having kids themselves. It’s crazy.

The reception when I walk back into the football club has always been great. I love seeing some of the older faces, especially those who have helped me along the way.

There’s guys who have played more than 500 games for Dartmoor and they’re still helping out around the club.

They are the people I really get excited about seeing.

I still get plenty of messages, especially during the finals and in the lead up to the grand final.

It was nice to read all of those.

That was one of my favourites parts, winning a flag and being able to celebrate with people like that.

Originally published as Cameron column: Kicking ‘snags' at Dartmoor inspired leap of faith