Not everyone wants to play major league football. Tim McKay would never change the fun times and premiership success he has enjoyed with the Skipton Emus.
While the Lexton Plains League may not have the profile or the crowds of their Ballarat neighbours, McKay says the standard is improving and the kids as keen and ambitious as any youd find anywhere.
Still a few weeks away from playing again after knee surgery at the start of summer, McKay, 32, says premierships are greeted as joyously in little towns like Skipton as they are in any football Citadel.
In 2001, for example, we beat Rokewood by nine goals in the Grand Final. It was our first flag in 64 years and the town really reacted, he said. The feeling around the place was fantastic. Wayne Grace was our coach and it was such an exciting time.
Taking over as the Emus senior coach from the following summers pre-season, McKay says he has been so fortunate as Skipton, 25 minutes from the Ballarat CBD, has rarely missed the finals.
Playing so many finals is such a good feeling, he said. A lot of people dont get to play finals at all. But weve finished in the top two or three every year. Ive also been fortunate enough to coach at inter-league level, too.
When I was playing with the juniors at Redan, our highlight was winning a lightning premiership. We played in only one Grand Final in 10 years. It has been such a big change for me here at Skipton.
Other than four games in town, with Golden Point I didnt enjoy it at all, McKay has preferred to play his football in more sleepier hollows, like Dunnstown, where he was part of a premiership in 1998 and at SMW Rovers in Lake Bolac.
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Winner of the 2006 Pete Smith Medal, the Lexton Plains competition best
and fairest award, the 192cm (6ft 3in.) McKay once kicked 24 goals in
a match, against Landsborough and in 2003 passed 100 goals for the
season during the play-offs. Ive got an 18 (goals in a match) and a few 14s, too. (Until this year) I have been pretty lucky. I havent missed out on playing too often. Asked when he hopes to return, he said: I had my lateral done (last December) and have been able to complete only half sessions so theres awhile to go yet. Its good that we won the first couple (of games in 2008). Were on track. Once a ruckman who rested up forward, he is now a full-time forward and pivotal again in a top two or three finish for Skipton, which qualified first last year only to go out in straight sets. Weve had a big turnover of players, he said. Among the new ones are Alex Thompson who has been a part of the last three Horsham premierships. Hes a really fine running player come half forward. Brent Trotter from Maryborough is also a good one who is just coming back now after injury. He is a 198 cm (6ft 6in) centre half back. Another backman Jarrod Williamson from Buninyong is also shaping well, as is Cameron Postlewaite who is back again with us and has given us an extra tall marking forward option up forward. |
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McKay says the return of Nick Watson, a past premiership player at Skipton, as assistant-coach is another bonus with his rucking skills and leadership.
McKay says Skipton is fortunate to have an excellent, stable administration and a close-knit band of supporters and backers who give of their time readily in all sorts of tasks.
It helps if you are strong off the field, too, he said.
Things tend to go nice and smoothly and it helps us all to get on with developing our juniors and winning games.
By Ken Piesse
Article first appeared The Sunday Herald Sun April 26, 2008
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