Meet Terry Derham, a man who has dedicated 32 years of his life to volunteering for St Mary’s.

Terry’s journey began in 1991 when his two eldest boys, Brett and Matt, expressed an interest in playing footy. Despite juggling a busy schedule with work, part-time study and four kids, Terry found time to give back to the club.

On the first day Terry arrived, the tackers coach Ross Carlson introduced himself and immediately asked Terry to be team manager. He had no idea what it entailed but happily agreed and did the job for the next 3 years before taking on his next challenge – coaching.

Despite never having played footy himself (his kids get their sporting skills from his wife Maree) he stepped up and coached his son’s Brett’s team when no other parent would, studying books and videos to improve his skills and knowledge. In just his second year of coaching, the team made finals. Although ever humble Terry insists it’s only because he promised they could throw him in the Plenty River if they made it. They made it and Terry can now say he’s been thrown in the Plenty River!

When his son Shane, now known as ‘Glove’, started tackers they also needed a coach and it’s no surprise Terry put up his hand to help. Terry loved these Friday’s as after training he’d open the bar and encourage the players and parents to socialise. According to Terry, mothers would be ringing at 8pm asking where their husband and son were!

“It was a great way to break down barriers to volunteering. When you form connections and friendships with people at the club, it become much easier to encourage them to get involved and contribute,” shared Terry.

Terry’s commitment to the Junior Club only continued to grow as he joined the committee. His hard work and dedication at the Junior Club were recognised when he was awarded Life Membership in 2003, along with his wife Maree, who he says he “couldn’t do any of this” without.

However, Terry’s volunteer work didn’t end after 18 years with the junior club. He was also instrumental in creating the senior club, serving as our first secretary and thus a founding committee member. This meant that his eldest son Brett, who had to go elsewhere to play senior footy could come back to St Mary’s and his daughter Clare could become more involved as part of the netball team.

In 2010 he became the first Senior Team Manager and then the Reserves team Manager two months later, a role he has held for 13 years (and counting) with a little bit of time off. He was the Team manager of the successful Reserves Teams that won three three premierships in a row!

Of course, we also must mention the famous ‘Turtle Time’. Terry collects any belongings left behind each week and in Covid-19 his pet turtle Ninja started posing with the items, giving everyone a smile and a laugh during a difficult time. It’s been so popular that it continues today!

Terry’s commitment has not waned over the years, and his passion for the club has clearly been passed down to his children, with his daughter still playing netball and his son Shane still playing footy. Terry also can’t wait for his grandkids to start Auskick in the next few years!

As for what keeps him going, it’s the incredible people that are part of our community.

“I love the club and the people. It’s been part of my life for 30 years now and I can’t imagine not being part of it.”

“Seeing the kids grow up and develop their skills and great friendships and being part of that process is really special. It’s why we all need to volunteer; it’s for our kids. If we don’t do it, they won’t have these fantastic clubs and communities to grow up around.”

“But it’s the people that keeps me coming back. I’ve made so many friends through volunteering and I feel like I’m part of something bigger than myself. That’s what it’s all about.”

Terry is an integral part of our community and his positive attitude and unwavering commitment have earned him the respect of everyone who knows him.

Terry’s story is a reminder of the vital role that volunteers play in community clubs. As Terry continues to give back, we can all follow his example and strive to make a difference in our St Mary’s community and make a lasting impact on the world around us.

Meet Livio Basile, a man whose love for footy and commitment to volunteering has made him a vital part of the St Mary’s Football Club for over 30 years and counting.

Livio began volunteering at St Mary’s in 1992, when out of the blue his son Damien decided to take up under 10’s football mid-season. Livio took him down to training on Wednesday and by Sunday Damien was out on the field.

“My son’s first year of football is still one of the best for me. I can’t describe the immense feeling of pride watching him play and win his first, and only, premiership,” shared Livio.

From the outset, Livio threw himself into volunteering with the club and quickly became an essential member of the team. From 1992 to 1997 he was the boundary umpire for every single game his son played, and soon after added trainer, canteen volunteer and player advocate at the tribunal to his resume. It’s no surprise that by 2001 Livio was awarded Life Membership.

Over the years, his role in the junior club expanded and he held several committee positions, including Social Director, League Director and even served as the President in 2004 and 2005.

In fact, it was while he was President that one of Livio’s most proud moments at the club occurred. St Mary’s Junior club was named the largest AFL junior club in Australia with over 600 players.

“I always liked to tell people that it meant we were the biggest junior AFL club in the world, and the universe,” shared Livio with a laugh.

However, one of Livio’s most significant contributions to the St Mary’s community was his role in establishing our Senior Club. Phil Catenazzi recruited Livio and Tom Chapman who were eager to assist. After two attempts, they finally got an Under 19s team together in 2009 and thus the Senior Club was born, providing a pathway for St Mary’s Junior Club players to keep playing footy with their mates at the club they love.

“Winning out first game against Keon Park in 2009 was an incredible moment for all of us at the club.”

“It was a testament to the hard work and dedication of our St Mary’s community. I felt incredible proud of the club as a whole and it was a moment I will always cherish.”

While the club started seeing success on the field, it was still hard work off as the club didn’t have a home ground. Livio arranged games and training across 15 different locations until five years later they finally got Whatmough Park. Nevertheless, those early years were some of Livio’s favourite.

“Those first few years were certainly challenging at times but also very rewarding.”

“We faced many obstacles, but we had a fantastic community of volunteers who worked tirelessly to keep the club going.”

Livio’s contributions go even beyond establishing the Senior Club. While most recognise him today for manning the bar on a Thursday and Saturday, he is also the Team Manager for the U19s, a player advocate at the tribunal, and with 15 years of experience as a trainer, he still jumps in to help when needed.

Livio’s dedication has not gone unnoticed and in 2009, the Senior Club introduced the Livio Basile Award to honour his service. The award was a proud moment for Livio, and he was moved to tears when it was announced.

“I was deeply honoured when the Club named an award after me, but I’m even more proud that my legacy is about the volunteers who work tirelessly for the club year in and year out to make our club a success.”

Last year Livio was proud to see the Award go to Jess and Troy Bickerton who have been instrumental in ensuring we have a women’s team, something Livio is very proud to have witnessed.

“It’s fantastic to see our club become more inclusive, and to see the enthusiasm and passion for the game the women bring each week has been such a pleasure.”

“It’s such a great reminder of the importance of volunteering and therefore providing more opportunities for everyone to get involved in sports.”

Now, three decades later, Livio shows no signs of slowing down and is still here each week lending his support the Club.

“I just love the sport and the Club. St Mary’s has always been accepting, even of a quietly spoken man with Italian heritage whose name they couldn’t quite spell,” Livio shared.

“It’s also important for me to give the opportunity for our youth to play this great game. If people don’t volunteer, unfortunately it just doesn’t happen. There’s always a lack of volunteers and it’s just not in me to stand on the sidelines.”

“It’s been such a pleasure to watch the club continue to grow and I’m so proud to be part of it.”

Livio’s passion and dedication have made him an integral part of St Mary’s and his efforts have had a lasting impact on the lives of many, even if they don’t realise it. Without people like Livio we wouldn’t have a club today.

Livio’s story is a reminder of the vital role that volunteers play in community clubs. Let’s all take inspiration from Livio’s example and get more involved in our Club today!