Memories of mateship and muddy fields live on for any footballer who has hung up his boots.
And in every club across the land there are people whose deeds and service stand tall for decades.
The Southern Football League Inc is excited to launch a Hall of Fame which recognises and celebrates persons who have made significant contributions to the SFL or the forerunners of the SFL.
The SFL’s ancestors are the Federal Football League, Eastern Suburbs Churches Football Association and South East Suburban Football League and the SFL wishes to permanently honor individual efforts by way of being a player, administrator, official, coach, umpire, media or life time achiever.
The concept was developed following a review of other sport initiatives to identify and profile outstanding achievers within their industry.
The SFL has formed a Hall of Fame sub-committee made up of SFL Board Chairman Mark Seymour, ex-SFL administrators Wayne Holdsworth and Kingsley Ellis, AFL/VFL historian Russell Holmesby and SFL CEO David Cannizzo.
Following months of lead up work including research and drafting the criteria, the SFL are now calling for nominations for prospective inductees. Nominations are able to be made to the Hall of Fame sub-committee by SFL board members, SFL administration, SFL member clubs and members of the public. Because many honor boards and club records have vanished over the years the call is going out to the public to assist by nominating individuals whose efforts shone in these leagues.
The criteria details that nominees must have demonstrated attributes including longevity, quality of performance, integrity, sportsmanship, good character and promoted the values of the SFL or the forerunners FFL, ESCFA and SESFL.
The SFL can confirm up to 24 inductees will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 and thereafter no more than six inductees in each year.
Inductees will be announced mid-year with a formal Hall of Fame event to follow shortly after.
SFL Board Chairman Mark Seymour believes the history of the SFL is extensive and with so much to profile.
“There is a rich and valued history in local football and we believe that people who have contributed so much to the fabric of the game should be permanently honoured”.
“The Hall of Fame will not only honour persons who have provided great service to the Southern Football League, but will also pay due respect to the forerunners of the SFL, being the Federal Football League, South East Suburban Football League and the Eastern Suburbs Churches Football Association. This is a great way of acknowledging the past and to also bring supporters of these football leagues together for the future”, said Mr Seymour.
