Mal’s kind gift
Mal Cater is principal of Mentone Grammar. He is a fine person and a really good ‘boss’. His school has just released a splendid book to mark its centenary. It contains 100 stories of or by distinguished students or staff.
Among its alumni, of course, was the legendary Shane Warne. I remember Shane well, playing cricket and footy against ACK. I was in charge of combined AGSV teams he played in.
Over the years I got to know some great Mentone principals including Mal Cater, Neville Clark and Keith Jones. All were very kind to me.
Also I fondly recall some of the fine sports coaches, parents and students I met. Mal Cater was a student at Mentone and loved his happy schooldays there.
He has been at the helm since 2007 and has worked hard to ensure students in these changing times are able to enjoy similar happy years. Neville Clark, OAM, was at the helm from 1988-2003.
A Vietnam war hero, Neville has been a really good friend. He and Mal Cater share many values. Both great men, as was Keith Jones who succumbed to cancer after eight years as headmaster.
It was a privilege to get to know staff, students and families from many schools in AGSV and APS and quite a number still keep in touch today.
Two good men
Two good menMates Mark Carboon and Brad Ryan, pictured below, have worked at Assumption College Kilmore for just over 30 years.
Both have given loyal and faithful service in their respective areas across that span of time.
Mark, from Broadford, has been a fine curator-groundsman.
His ovals and wicket preparation would not be out of place at even major venues like the MCG.
The college has been fortunate to have his expert services.
Brad Ryan, of Kilmore, has been with maintenance, so often doing the most menial of tasks cheerfully.
In his late teens a near fatal accident left him in a coma for eight weeks followed by a long recovery.
The injuries cut short a very promising footy and cricket career.
To this day, Brad remains very grateful to the Marist Brothers of the time who gave him employment and literally ‘saved’ him.
McEvoys come home
Ben McEvoy played for St Kilda, then led Hawthorn. A tough, rugged player, he was admired by friend and foe.
His dad John and three uncles were at ACK in the 1970’s. The McEvoy family hailed from the small farming community of Colbinabbin.
The footy club, the Grasshoppers, has been for many years successful in the Heathcote and district league.
There was much excitement a couple of weeks ago when Ben and his three brothers returned for the day to play a game for the club. A big crowd turned up and it was a great day for the proud club.
The only downside was the team lost narrowly. Ben’s dad John was a fine footballer at ACK and has been a school teacher in northern Victoria.
Maurie 97
Maurie Wood played 97 very good games for North Melbourne half a century ago, then returned to home town St Arnaud, where he ran a sports store and became an area legend for his coaching and playing.
He still coaches junior teams, however he is a bit sad about the state of much of country football, and it showed in yesterday’s letter he sent me.
Part of it read: “I am assisting the St Arnaud under 14 footy team, teaching them the basic skills of the game. I still really enjoy helping the young players. We were the only St Arnaud footy team to reach finals last season but got beaten in the grand final by a bigger stronger team.
“Senior football teams in St Arnaud are struggling badly. Last Saturday we played Sea Lake Nandaly, who beat St Arnaud by 20 goals to 1, and St. Arnaud scored their only goal in the last two minutes of the game.
“Our seconds team failed to score a goal going down 18.18 to 0.6. We are the biggest town in the North Central League. I am very concerned about the bad state of country football.”
Especially in northern and western Victoria, and Riverina, many clubs have fallen over in the past few decades. Strong clubs such as Corowa – Rutherglen and Yea are among this year’s clubs unable to field teams.
Maurie and his wife Pat sent two fine lads to Assumption a generation ago.
Pat is a Uniting Church minister also involved in two choirs, a book club, school breakfasts, meals on wheels, helping disabled people and folk with family problems.
The Coronation
Despite the rain and cold, huge crowds assembled in London and across the country to witness the crowning of King Charles III.
The Brits do pageantry brilliantly and this was true to tradition. The music, ancient and modern inside the great cathedral was inspirational as were the massed bands, the cavalry, and magnificent horses. The service itself was truly multicultural and inclusive. Overall, an event for the ages.
Records
As it contests its 65th season in the AGSV football competition, Assumption can look back on a brilliant record since being admitted to the prestigious metropolitan competition.
Thirty nine titles and more than 90 boys to the ranks of VFL and AFL.
Since the college began playing football well over a century ago, some 148 lads have progressed to the big league – a number of them among the games immortals such as the likes of the famous Francis Bourke, Brendan Edwards, Peter Cummins, Shane Crawford, Michael Green, etc.
Edwards still holds the record for the most possessions in a grand final at the MCG – 42 for Hawthorn versus Footscray in 1961 and that was when it was one-on-one, no easy ball gets.
Editor’s note: The writer, Mr Carroll, was part of the story for four decades. He coached Assumption’s football and cricket teams to 50 premierships. Media sports guru John Anderson described him as the most successful college sports coach in Assumption history.
Varia
I hope mothers everywhere had a great Mother’s Day. They sure deserve to.
What would the world be without loving mums? Lives of sacrifice, love and devotion down the generations are their hallmark.
