his National Volunteer Week, we recognise and celebrate one of our long time volunteers — Tom Chapman.
For over 25 years, Tom has been a constant presence and driving force behind our club.
Tom’s journey began in 2000 when his son Jayden joined the Under 11s. Not one to sit on the sidelines, Tom quickly got involved as a trainer, later stepping in as a runner. His commitment later deepened over the years, taking on the role of Secretary. Even after his son finished in the juniors, Tom remained an integral part of the club and played a key role in the redevelopment of the clubrooms, successfully securing vital funding from the State Government and the City of Banyule.
With unanimous support from the junior committee, Tom helped launch the St Mary’s Senior Club, working alongside fellow club stalwarts Livio Basile and Phil Catenazzi. Together, they assembled the inaugural Under 19s team in 2009, followed by the launch of the Seniors and Reserves in 2010. Tom also served as the first Senior Club President from 2009 to 2011 and remained on the committee until 2015.
Though he stepped back from official duties, Tom never truly left. Today, he’s a familiar face around the club on Thursday nights, at men’s games on Saturdays, and women’s matches on Sundays. Whether it’s putting up flags and organising the trophy cabinet or any other odd jobs that need to be done, Tom is always there to help.
“Both my wife Pauline and I believe in a strong sense of community and the role that sporting clubs play in it,” Tom says. “The benefits of being involved — particularly in Aussie Rules — go far beyond the game itself.”
His outstanding service has earned him life membership at both the Junior and Senior clubs – a well-deserved honour.
One of his proudest highlights has been watching the club grow and evolve to include women’s football and netball. “It’s incredibly satisfying to see young women now proudly representing St Mary’s at senior level — it’s such an important and exciting part of our club’s future,” he shares.
And from a personal point of view, few things have meant more to Tom than seeing his own family follow in his footsteps, with his son Jayden and granddaughter Chelsea both having played junior and senior footy at the club.
When asked what keeps him coming back year after year, Tom says it’s the people that make it truly special:
“The St Mary’s Junior and Senior Clubs are truly fantastic family clubs. They play an enormous role in our community and do it as well as any football club out there. But it’s the people who make it so great — the lifelong friendships formed between players and families along the journey.”
Thank you, Tom, for everything you’ve done — and continue to do — for our club.
SMFNC 