AFTER 40 years of dedicated service with the Thorpdale Football Netball Club, Mick Hammond will lace the boots for his 600th senior game in the reserves this Saturday.
The club president of 13 years never expected to reach the incredible milestone, having officially retired after game 500 in 1998, but has since racked up a ton as a ‘fill-in’ player in addition to his extensive off-field commitments.
“In a way it’s a bit embarrassing, I played my 500th and said I wasn’t going to play any more then,” Hammond said.
“I’ve only got one to go now so I may as well do it.”
For the 57 year-old, who aside from one stand-in game for Yarragon, has only ever donned the Blue jersey, his beloved club is a second family home.
Five life memberships have been awarded in Hammond’s direct family to wife Pam, children Natasha and Daniel, mother Gloria and Mick himself.
Natasha has tallied 350 senior netball games, Daniel passed 300 footy games in 2011, a milestone son Barry is due to reach next season, and youngest daughter Tanya has more than 200 netball games to her name.
“Why do you keep playing for the club? Because it’s your club,” Hammond said.
“Same as my kids, they all played for the club, they could have gone somewhere else but it’s your club.
“I’ve played a bit of footy with both the boys and played a bit of mixed netball with both the girls, which has been fantastic.”
Hammond enjoyed a decorated football career of his own.
The premiership player and club legend’s playing history includes three league best and fairest awards, four times runner-up for Thorpdale, four times most consistent and a joint best player in the grand final award.
That type of success has eluded the club in recent years, but for Hammond on-field glory is not everything.
“Naturally I’d like them to be successful. Everybody wants to win a seniors grand final because that’s all you get recognised from (but) there’s more to a footy club than just winning everything to me,” he said.
“To have a Thorpy footy club, to have a club in your own town, I think is pretty special.
“People really don’t realise if they didn’t have it there what would happen… it’s a place for everybody to go to on a Saturday, to have functions of a night and it brings people closer together.”
While the difficulties of sustaining a club in a small community are ever present, it has shaped a well renowned family culture at Thorpdale.
A spate of quality Melbourne players have this year commuted dilgently to be involved with the senior side, a tribute to the environment the Hammond family helped create.
“That’s why you’ve got to make sure that when people come to your club that they’re happy. Treat them right (and they’ll stay),” Hammond said.
“I’m pretty pleased that 13 years since I was president the club is still going. Even those little kids at the footy ground that have only been there a couple of years… now everybody knows them, looks after them and they’re ‘their’ kids and it’s their club.”
Thorpdale hosts Yallourn Yallourn North on Saturday for the milestone fixture.
