Band of brothers

By CASEY NEILL
OLINDA-FERNY Creek Football Netball Club can look forward to a strong future if the Scott family has anything to do with it.
Michael Scott notched up his 400th game for the club in the Reserves’ win over Upwey-Tecoma at Olinda Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
He and brothers Tim, Steve, and Colin are now just eight games shy of playing a combined 1000 matches for the club.
“It was a big honour. That is my home club,” Scott said.
“The club’s meant a lot to me and it’s been a really special place in my life for a long time.”
The 42-year-old Seniors coach said he didn’t dwell on the milestone, but did think back through the injuries and setbacks he’d overcome to make it there.
“It’s nice to know you’ve got some resilience,” he said.
The club’s president Rick Wall said Scott had another 100 matches in him judging by his performance on Saturday.
“Physically I probably have,” Scott laughed.
“But mentally I haven’t got much to give anymore.”
This is likely to be his last season on the field, and might be his final as senior coach.
“I’m not sure yet. I’m trying to get through this year first,” he said.
But regardless, he’ll be a fixture at the club for a long time yet.
“I’ve spent time there since I was about seven,” he said.
“I’ve put in a lot of work with some of the kids so I’m keen to watch how they progress.
“They’re almost like family.”
Scott will also be keeping an eye on his own family. Son Riley, 10, and his nephew are in their second year of juniors with the club, and more Scotts are on the way.
“I was proud as punch. I watched Riley barge through the pack and kick a lovely little banana kick for a goal,” he said.
“There’s another generation coming through the ranks.”
Scott started his senior local footy career 25 years ago.
He’s won the Bloods’ best and fairest award – known as the Mick Scott Medal since 2006 – eights times, is a Yarra Valley Mountain District Football Netball League (YVMDFNL) life member, and has won the league’s best player and best coach titles.
Scott had short stints with East Burwood and Coolangatta but returned to the Bloods in 1996 and coached in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
“It’s just such a good club, a good place to be,” he said.
Scott again took over the senior coaching reins in 2008 during a tumultuous time for the club.
“We struggled to find a coach because we’d performed so poorly,” he said.
The Bloods took home the 2008 wooden spoon and were relegated to Division 2, so Scott promoted the club’s young guns to the senior ranks. In 2009 they won an unprecedented three flags to earn a spot back in Division 1.
The success continued in 2010 and Scott was named the Eastern Region Coach of the Year for his efforts.
Scott faces another challenge this year, with about 12 players leaving the side through injury or Victorian Football League (VFL) opportunities.
“I like to think we’ll still make finals,” he said.
Wall said Scott was a natural leader and instilled “all the right values in the players who represent our local community”.
“Michael’s sporting achievements are one of the great stories of not only our local league but also Victorian community football,” he said.