One of the most recognisable faces of Cowra junior soccer has hung up his boots, with Geoff Dernee refereeing his final game last Saturday morning.
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Geoff, who has been involved with the club for the last 36 years, said he originally got involved so he could referee school matches.
“I was working at Canowindra High and we would have the odd knockout game,” he said.
“Back then we didn’t necessarily last that long in those games, but you’d either coach the side or help out.
“So I thought someone really ought to find out the rules to this game and run us properly, so we don’t look like mugs from the sticks, that’s when I found the referees here and joined them to qualify.
“I’ve probably stayed on a bit long to be honest but it’s been good, it’s a wonderful place with a good bunch of people and always has been”.
At the completion of the Saturday’s match Geoff was cheered off the field with a guard of honour and inducted as a life member of the Cowra and District Soccer Club, with a new players choice trophy for best referee for the year being named in his honour.
Club president Derek Sullivan, said the club would miss Geoff.
“On behalf of the club I’d like to personally thank Geoff for his 36 years of refereeing soccer in Cowra,” he said.
“It is sad, but it’s happy as well, Geoff has left a legacy here. He has been the one who has trained and qualified all our junior referees.
“Geoff has also been involved with twilight summer soccer and has been instrumental in keeping that running over the years. His involvement with the committee of the soccer club, I think is unrivaled in this town, for someone to be committed that long to a sporting club makes us grateful we’ve had Geoff for those 36 years,” he said.
Mr Sullivan said it was Geoff’s concern for the kids to enjoy the game that stood out to him.
“Geoff’s own character, his calm and gentle nature really stands out to me. The way in which he guides the young referees is really inspiring,” he said.
“He is always concerned about the wellbeing and enjoyment of the kids, he wants to make sure they are happy.
“When I used to work the canteen Geoff would come every afternoon and take the last two cold pies, or cold sausage roll, he would always pay for them, I’d tell Geoff just take them and he’d always say, ‘No, we need to support the soccer club and the kids’.
“That has been his lot in life, because he chose to ensure the kids from the age of five right through to 17-18 could enjoy their sport.”
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