By Tyler Wright
At the Outer East Football & Netball League season launch on Friday 17 March at Rochford Wines in Coldstream, four members of the Monbulk Football Club were given life membership.
One recipient, 65-year-old Mark Seamer, started his football career at the cub in the Under 17s team in 1970.
“My dad started it off when I was a kid, he was coach for the Under 16s and reserves, so I naturally followed,” Mr Seamer said.
“My dad was one of 13 kids…there was five brothers all played football and I was one of five children, my two brothers played and myself…other sides that we played against had similar big families that played in it.”
Mr Seamer played midweek football while working in the police force, took to the field for about 120 games for Monbulk in the ‘80s, and had the role of club vice-president from 2000 to 2007 before a stint as president from 2016 to 2019.
He then went on to coach Under 15s, coach the reserves in 1996 and 1997, and then the Under 18s in 2012.
At 59 years old, the football veteran played his last game as a fill in for the reserves team.
“The head was willing, the body didn’t know what it was doing… It was a bit of a laugh for the boys,” Mr Seamer said.
“[I] mainly finished playing as a 40 year old in the reserves…[I’ve] had a long history with the club, the league has been great… I’ve seen the change from Yarra Valley Mountain District to Outer East, seen the highs and lows of footy when we win premierships and then struggled to have sides.
“It’s been a great journey…football has been a big part of my life, I’ve had my boys play and my daughter who captained our inaugural women’s senior team [in] 2019.”
Mr Seamer said he was “surprised” to receive a life membership.
“[I] was very appreciative of the thought of the award… surprised and flattered, to be honest,” he said.
“I understand there’s a lot of sides in our competition now that are struggling to get [teams], and it’s one of those things that goes in generations…sometimes you have a lot of players and sometimes you don’t.
“I might have given a fair bit myself over the years, but I’ve got a lot more back from it… [I] appreciate what I got out of footy.”
Billie Hicken, Shane Van Seters and Grant Dennison also received life memberships at the season launch.
