April/May Volunteer and Coach of the Month Awards

APRIL/MAY The Pass Volunteer of the Month and Carruthers Executive Coach of the Month – Winners Announcement

The Monthly recognition awards are back. This year the VAFA has called upon clubs, players and volunteers to nominate personnel who align with any VAFA value for each month. Pleasingly, numerous nominations were received with many deserving representatives.

Congratulations to Jim Bonwick from Old Haileybury Football Club for being named The Pass Volunteer of the Month.

Jim was nominated by club President Matthew Armstrong, who shared with us the impact Jim has on the club as a volunteer. 

“Jim has been a timekeeper at our club for over 25 years and performs this role at both our home and away games. At home games he regularly starts with our U19’s at 9.20am, and finishes after 4pm with our seniors, at which point he takes down goal post padding, and assist with tidying and packing up, amongst a host of other duties he assists with. We received a message from St Bedes/Mentone following our away game last Saturday, 4 May 2024, thanking Jim for helping train a junior player at their club in how to do timekeeping for the senior game. They are encouraging Junior players to be involved and, in their words, ‘Jim was so thoughtful and generous with his knowledge to Oliver (U15’s)…thank you Jim, a valuable asset to your club’. We believe Jim would be a very worthy recipient of the Volunteer of the month award for his outstanding service over many years”.

Congratulations to Warde Elliott from Power House Amateur Football Club for being named Carruthers Executive Coach of the Month.

Warde was nominated by Emma Doorley and Grace Curran who are currently playing for Power House Amateur Football Club.

“Warde creates an environment at training that is safe and welcoming for all members – regardless of your background or identity. He is a real voice for our club and specifically our Division 2 Senior Women’s team. He always acts with integrity to get the best for us. He manages the club in accordance with regulations endorsed by members, working to expand the club and work toward a modern vision, but at the same time respecting the clubs’ traditional values. He shows respect to every person he interacts with and is very well respected in return”

“Warde always portrays respect to every person he interacts with, and in turn, works towards earning the respect from all involved in not only our women’s team, the Power House football club and the VAFA community. He is extremely professional in the way he conducts himself on and off the field and is beyond dedicated in all that he does for Power House. He stood with the Power House women’s football team when not many people had belief. In 2021 we struggled some weeks to even get 8 players to a training session and most weeks the team would be scrambling last minute to field a team in Division 4. Two years later and the Women’s football team at Power House found themselves the minor premiers of Division 3 and played in the grand-final of the 2023 season just falling short of a premiership. In 2024 the Women’s team has again been promoted, now playing in Division 2 and our selection list is stronger than ever. This illustrates all Warde has invested in growing a respectful and dedicated women’s football culture/ community at Powerhouse”

Nominations for June The Pass Volunteer of the Month and Carruthers Executive Coach of the Month awards are NOW OPEN, with a focus on any VAFA value. 

Apply below before COB, 30 June 2024

Carruthers Executive Coach of the Month Nomination

The Pass Volunteer of the Month Nomination

June Volunteer of the Month and Carruthers Executive Coach of the Month winners will be announced in the month of July.

Please note: To acknowledge our volunteers further, the VAFA is actively nominating all the nominations to the AFL Victoria State Awards as well.