CLUB SECRETARY HONOURED BY FOOTBALL NSW

At the State Dinner on 15 October, 2011, Danielle Foster was recognised for her outstanding service to football in the Illawarra.  The Junior Council would like to acknowledge and congratulate Danielle as a most deserving recipient of the State Award.

Danielle, thank you for giving so much of your time and effort over the years by providing consistent and valuable service to all levels of Football in this region

Contribution to Football for over 15 years

1996 - 2011 and continuing: Secretary Thirroul Junior Football Club

In 1996 Danielle joined the Management Committee of Thirroul Junior Soccer (as it was then called) Club as secretary. The Club was modest in size with 195 players. During her time there she has overseen some innovating and exciting changes and developments.
In 1996 the Club started a newsletter with club news and match reports written by individual team managers. This started the engendering of a Club spirit with more players and families learning about their own teams as well as other aspects of the whole Club. This is something that is the pride of the Club today.

In 1997 Danielle was instrumental in the instigation of the first girl’s only competition in the Illawarra. Thirroul entered two teams in the 17s girl’s competition that year.

One of the most radical changes that occurred within the Thirroul Club occurred in 1998. In that year Danielle oversaw and prepared the documentation required for a major change in the awards system at the club. The concept of a Best and Fairest Player in each team was changed to what was called the Elite Skills Award. To achieve this award any number of players from any team can nominate. The players are run through a series of skill tests for which they are given an objective mark. The marks for each player are added up and if the player achieves a certain score, determined by their age, they receive the Elite Skill Award. At Presentation Day they receive a specially embroidered item of club clothing and their name is placed on an Honour Board that sits in the Clubhouse. Danielle represented the Club as District Representative at the Illawarra Junior Soccer Association from 1997 to 2006.

Danielle was voted Club Person of the Year in 1999 for all of the work she had done in developing the Club and advancing the cause of football, in general, in the area. In 2002, with Danielle again being the driving force, Thirroul Junior Football Club entered new territory when it entered teams in the Illawarra Women’s Football Association Competition. As a member of the Club Executive she was instrumental in the creation of a Coaching Manual issued to all coaches within the Club and the development an Administration Manual for the Club. At the centre of this was a Strategic Plan for the Club, possibly the first for any Football Club in the area.

Danielle was awarded Life Membership of the Club in 2003.

In 2008, again entering new ground with Danielle being a powerful instigator, the Thirroul Junior Football Club applied for membership of the Illawarra Football Association. The Club was successful and teams, mainly based around ex-Thirroul Junior players, have been playing in the Illawarra Football Association competition ever since. Every season Thirroul teams have made it into the finals series playoffs. In 2011 Thirroul entered a team in the Illawarra Amateur Football Association Competition. At the end of season 2011 Thirroul Junior Football Club is a very substantial organisation of over 500 players. These  players  are  represented  in  the  Illawarra  Junior,  Women’s,  Men’s  and  Amateur  Competitions.  The development and growth of the Club over the past 15 years has been in no small part attributable to the personality and efforts of Danielle Foster. The Club would not be what it is today without her contribution, as she was a driving force shaping most of the innovations that the Club has developed.

2008 onwards Board member of Illawarra Junior Football Association
During this period Danielle attended meetings at Football NSW representing Illawarra Junior players. When the issue of unification of all of the Illawarra Football Bodies came onto the agenda as an important objective, she was the driving force that delivered the outcome that was required. The unification that we see today is in no small way her achievement. This is because of her Club, being a unified Club and having a foot in the Illawarra Junior, Women’s and Men’s Associations, gave Danielle the insight and knowledge to achieve this outcome for all of Illawarra Football.

2009 - 20011 and continuing: Member of the board of Thirroul Bowling, Leagues and Recreation Club
In 2009 Danielle was asked to join the board of the Thirroul Bowling Leagues and Recreation Club, the main sponsor of Thirroul Junior Football Club. She has represented the interests of football in that forum for over two years now. Helping to get a substantial increase in the funding contribution that they make towards football. She was recently re-elected to that board.

2010 and beyond: Board member of Football South Coast
When Unification was achieved, Danielle was asked to join the Board of Football South Coast as the representative of the Junior Football Council. She continues to represent “Grass Roots” football at this district level and upward to Football NSW. Danielle is great at communicating up to Football South Coast the issues that the Juniors face, and bringing to the Junior Council the topics of concern from FFA, Football NSW and Football SC.

Danielle Foster’s contribution to football for over a decade and a half has been considerable. Her greatest asset is her way with people; within Thirroul Junior Football Club she has the knack of finding the right people to do the right job. There is an active Committee of over  fteen members who are there and committed because of Danielle’s enthusiasm and encouragement. Also, even though there are over 500 players in the Club, she takes delight in knowing the vast majority of them by name. She is a great generator of club spirit, is a driving force of football in the area and has presided over a substantial growth of football participation and interest in the game. Because she knows so many people in Thirroul, she is acknowledged as an important member of the community and correspondingly the personal respect that she has garnered in the community has been “rubbed o ” onto football. Consequently, the football community in Thirroul is admired in a way that it has never been before.

Other members of the Illawarra who have previously received the State Award include -
1991 - Florence Stephenson; also awarded the George Churchward Medal in 2005
1992 - Bob Maughan
1992 - Jan Maughan
1994 - Mary Herbert
1997 - Bill Dale
2005 - Glen Fontana
2008 - David Ware
2009 - John Whiddett
2010 - Dawn Power

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