OLD PARADIANS PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

On what proved to be a great day for the Old Paradians Amateur Football Club at the weekend, the President Mike Jolley outlined plans for the future direction of the 84 year-old entity, in a keynote address delivered at the pre-match luncheon at the Garvey Oval.
Jolley’s update preceded the Old Paradians senior team’s magnificent come-from-behind victory over Division 2 competition leader Therry Penola – 12. 6 (78) – 11.10 (76) on an idyllic playing surface at Bundoora last Saturday.
In the presence of five former football club Presidents, Jolley called on members of the Old Paradian and Parade College community to commit to the cause whether financially or otherwise, in safeguarding the club’s future.
Highlights of Jolley’s address included:
·        A call for $40,000 in funding and the direct support of Old Paradians 60 years and under to assist with the club’s future operations;
·        confirmation that the OPAFC, in conjunction with St Damian’s, was seeking to appoint an Under 17s Development coach.
·        the establishment of an Old Paradians Football Academy, similar to that put in place by St Bernard’s; and
·        The extension of the Frank Mount Room.
Of the creation of the role of development coach, Jolley said the successful applicant would be responsible for developing the Under 17s and working closely with the committees of both the St Damian’s and Old Paradians football clubs and Under 19s Coach Ian Fairley “to make sure we do have some transition from our junior affiliate club.”
Jolley said the club was also in the throes of developing an academy, which he hoped would be operational as early as next year. He added that the club had obtained formal council approval for the extension of the Frank Mount Room and was finalising costings. 
“In terms of the financial position of our club, when I joined six years ago we were what you would have called ‘bankrupt’ had we been in business,” Jolley said. 
“We are certainly a lot better than that now. However, my view is that this club needs $40,000 in the bank and we haven’t got it, so we still have a long way to go.”
Jolley said the club was also in need of manpower.
“What we need to do is get those younger people, those people younger than 60 who enjoyed their time here at Parade. Surely there must be fellows around this place, younger than us, who played at this club and can put up their hand and give a little bit,” Jolley said.
“Our biggest challenge, besides the Under 19s, is the support to make sure this club runs properly. If everyone put in a little it will make a big difference.”
Jolley rated the establishment of the Under 19s team – under the watch of the former North Melbourne Premiership player Ian Fairley – as “our biggest challenge for the year.” 
“If you’d asked us earlier in the year if we were going to get an Under 19s team up, most of us would have said ‘no’,” Jolley said.
“We’ve won one game, we’ve been bashed by up to as much as 30 goals, but more importantly we’ve had 30 kids participate in that Under 19 competition and that’s our future.
“We can talk about recruiting senior players, and going out and getting the best players from the Diamond Valley or the Northern Football League as it’s now known, but we need to get players for our Under 19s team. We need to get players from local teams, particularly from our affiliate team St Damian’s and the College, and we really need to make that recipe work for us to succeed as a club in the future.    
Jolley also took the liberty of commending Parade College for investing in the Garvey Oval and its facilities 
“If you look at the ground, we owe a tremendous thanks to the College,” he said. “This ground is the best ground we have seen all year. It is first rate, I know that the College has put a lot of time and effort in, and to Brother Moore and the ground staff we pass on our thanks.”
In closing, Jolley said club successes should not always be measured by on-field results. As he said: “We shouldn’t underestimate ourselves if we put 100 players out on the park every year and they become lifetime mates”.
Jolley was amongst six of the seven surviving Old Paradians’ Amateur Football Club Presidents spanning the past 30 years of the football club’s existence, present at the weekend function to pose for the following photograph.
Pictured above are from left to right are Maurie Considine (1985-1990), Keith Sharkie (1984), Peter Gilmartin (2001-2005), Sean Simpson (2006-2010), Robin Mills (1991-1993) and Jolley 2011 – ). Former President Steve Exton (1996-2000) was an apology, while Bob Digney (1994-1995) died in April this year.
Considine, the Old Paradians Premiership player and coach who joined the Old Paradians’ Amateur Football Club in 1949 – 65 years ago next year – was a guest speaker at the luncheon. He revealed that he and his brothers were invited to join the club with the assistance of the late Barney Luby.
“If you look back, Barney was a regular player with the Old Paradians Football Club,” Considine said. “But when my brother, myself and my younger brother finally broke in, Barney didn’t get a game anymore – which wasn’t very kind was it? But footy’s like that.”