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The BJ Show
Community Hero: John Volunteer Journey
John May shares his inspiring journey from retirement to creating the Roo Squad, an inclusive football program at Morfittville Park Football Club that has transformed lives while giving him profound personal satisfaction.
• Retired for 10 years after a career spanning finance, industrial relations, and agriculture
• Lives in City of Mitcham area for 38 years with his wife and son Eugene who has Down syndrome
• Volunteers with City of Mitcham at Blackwood Community Centre as a "jack of all trades"
• Created Roo Squad inclusive football program that grew from 2 to over 20 participants
• Program focuses on football skills, fitness, friendship, and fun for people with disabilities
• All equipment purchased through successful grant application to City of Marion
• Participants show remarkable skill development and form friendships outside the program
• Volunteering options with City of Mitcham span numerous areas with supportive staff
Thank you to Mitchell Council for supporting these podcast sessions at the Blackwood Community Centre.
Hello, welcome to another episode here on the BJ Show Podcast. Today we got our very special guests. So let's get and let's go live to Blackwood Community Centre, Because what a show we got. This guest is just amazing. So let's welcome and go live to Blackwood Community Centre. Hello, welcome to the Blackwood Community Centre. And before we get on to today's guests, we'd like to thank you to Mitchell Council and their support of me hosting these podcast sessions.
Speaker 1:And look, today's guest is part of the amazing part of Football Proven at the Morphe's Football Club in a suburb in Adelaide, and I would like to introduce to a fellow named John May Welcome.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Ben. It's just great to be here with you.
Speaker 1:So can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Speaker 2:Yes, ben, I've been retired from the workforce for 10 years now and I've been volunteering all that time and it's one of the best things. I think it's the best thing I've ever done. And, as you mentioned, I'm involved with the Morfittville Park football and cricket club and I have set up a program called Roo Squad now Morfittville Park the kangaroos so we called our program the roo squad. So I've been involved with that now for about four years and I'm coordinator of that. It's all voluntary. We have coaches, we have coordinators and, yeah, I'm involved with that. Now, did you want me to expand more on that now or just tell you a little bit more about myself?
Speaker 1:A little bit about yourself, okay.
Speaker 2:I've lived in the city of Mitcham area for 38 years. I have a wife. I have a son with Down syndrome, eugene, and he's a member of Morphville Park Club. So I volunteer also with the city of Mitcham on Mondays and Wednesdays doing a range of things, and that's where we met Ben. So it's great to be with you and my interests are very much sport, football and cricket and really all sport. I like to travel a lot and I like to potter around home, do a bit of gardening and maintenance and things like that, and I do like going out, dining and things like that, as you do. I had lunch at the Bel Air Hotel and that was very nice. So, yeah, I've got a pretty good lifestyle these days in retirement. So that's a bit about me.
Speaker 1:Sounds quite busy since you retired and 10 years out of now before we get into that volunteer part. What did you do for a job? I?
Speaker 2:start I had a an interesting career. I started out in finance and banking and I soon realized it probably wasn't my best choice in a career and I moved into other areas, including industrial relations, and I ended I did go into the government working in treasury. I'm a slow learner and I decided that wasn't didn't suit me much either. So I went back and studied a bit more and I ended up moving into agriculture and into horticulture and I still worked in the government there and I worked for a couple of politicians in the ministers for agriculture and, yeah, that's where my career travelled. So a little bit of private sector, a little bit of public sector work in finance and also in agriculture and in industrial relations. So I had some interesting.
Speaker 1:Water culture means that gardening has been. Yes, basically you said about yourself, it's a big, strong, big thing. I'm not a big fan of gardening and I've been living in like just not far part of City Mitcham for 22 years now, john Right, so yeah, so, moving on, how long have you volunteered with the City of Mitcham?
Speaker 2:Ten years now, ben, and when I retired there was a bit of work to do at home, a bit of painting and maintenance and things like that. In the first few months I'd finished that off or so I told my wife I'd finished that off anyway, the painting. And then I was at a bit of a loose end and wanted to give back something to the community. And I went and spoke to the city of Mitcham and to their volunteer manager and I was put on to a role, which was really good, down at the Mitcham Cultural Village and yeah, that's been going on for 10 years.
Speaker 2:With the opening of the Tiwookamanga here at the Blackwood Community Centre, I took a big interest in this place because it's just such a nice, nice place to be and I was offered a voluntary role here as well. And on Mondays and every second Wednesday I come up here and assist and I think I'm regarded as a bit of a jack of all-all-trades where anything and everything that needs to be done I just help out with Ben. So you meet a lot of people how I met you, and it's really. I love meeting people and helping out. It really suits my lifestyle.
Speaker 1:What sort of volunteer roles have you done? It's more. It's basically you have told in the other question as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have and look at it as I said, it involves a lot of things. It might even helping to organise events that the council might have and volunteering on those days it might be, if there's a function on here at Blackwood or down at Mitcham, helping set up for those functions, coordinating with the people who are organising these functions, what help they need tables, chairs, settings, provision of food or drinks. So it's really helping people utilise the services of the council here at Blackwood and also at Mitcham and it's very community focused in that way?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I always. You know, since this building upgraded, you know, I used to go to the other library just down the road, on main road, and it was very small and I think the only community center actually has high rooms. You know you don't have a community center with high rooms. So this is how much, and it's not far from home. So, moving on to our next question, so you also you just mentioned like you're part of the Roots squad, so can you tell me a bit about that? Even you mention it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, it was one night. I was with my son, Eugene, at the club at the Morphinfield Park Club, and Thursday nights it's sort of club night. If it's cricket or football season, the clubs are training, so the players come in for a drink and a and a and some food after training so the club puts on meals. So I was there on a Thursday night with my son and one of the players in the women's league her name is Charlotte, her brother is a friend of my son's and he he has down syndrome too and Charlotte and I were talking with my son and her brother and we were watching the footballers run around the oval and we said to each other why can't we?
Speaker 2:start up some training for our guys. So it started from that and we put some notes together about forming a team, call it a team and we immediately fell upon the name of RooSquad. That just hit us straight away and it was based on people living with a disability to have access to some good training and skills development and basically coming along one night a week and having fun running around kicking the footy, learning the skills of football, marking, handball, tackling things like that kicking. Of course, kicking for goal is always the favourite item. At the end of the training session we have 15 minutes goal kicking practice and they love it.
Speaker 2:So we started that. Charlotte's brother and my son, jack and Eugene, were the first two members, so the first night we had training it was the two of them, so we just started with two. But then we put word out, flyers out and some notices online and things like that through Facebook and that and before long we got about. We got about 15 to 18 people registering and coming along and that's grown to about 20 22 in the football season, cricket's a little bit less, with about 16 in the cricket season.
Speaker 2:So then we had to go on the lookout to find some coaches, and we found a ready supply of people that were pretty good at coaching, that had experience and volunteered, so we've got a good selection of coaches and of, of course, when our participants come along, quite often it might be with a family member or a carer, and some of those are very interested in participating as coaches and assistants as well.
Speaker 2:Everyone who has a coaching role has to have police clearance, of course, and that's all done in accordance with the rules, but the whole setup is based volunteering, and every week in winter we do football training, we have a mid-season break, just like the footballers do, and we have an end of season function as well to celebrate the year. And the thing that I really love about it is the fact that the participants get away from their screens at home or their televisions, come and run around and have fun and make friends and they learn some good skills in fitness and fun and football, and it's most rewarding rewarding ben in what we do and the feedback we get is is really good that they enjoy the program. At this stage we haven't got a team participates in matches and we're still at the stage of skill development through training. Maybe a team will come down the track later on, but not at the moment.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I understand, because there's a contact sport, so you're going to prepare to. You know, play in the rules as well, but you know it's never. It's not like the sam for the sanfl or the afl level, it's more like it's think of the bear, a bear hug, quite thing yeah, we have it.
Speaker 2:We have a tackle bag and that is very popular. They run at the tackle bag and you have to be confident as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, don't be afraid to pick up the footy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, bump the bump the tackle bag and pick up the football and handball it on to your, to your teammate. They love that section of the program and and also I didn't mention that in the first instance, when we set up, I went to the president of the club and spoke to the president's secretary as well about the, the formation of roosquad, and they were so supportive of the program and they said we can use their facility for free, we can use their equipment and so on.
Speaker 2:But I was lucky enough to apply to the city of marion for a grant and we got a grant so we were able to buy all our. So we are self-sufficient with equipment both for football and cricket and so yeah, we have our own equipment. That's locked away and we use our own equipment. So footballs, tackle bags, goal posts, witches, hats, things like that that the football clubs use in their training programs moving on.
Speaker 1:So with before we wrap it up from today's, and how much and what do you enjoy about being part of running the program of the Rouge Squad?
Speaker 2:Oh look, I think, the joy it gives, not just to me but to the participants themselves and their families and their carers, when they see participants just really having a red-hot go at playing footy and learning new skills, and just the enjoyment they get from it and the skill development. I mean some of our players. I'll be honest, three or four years ago when they started they couldn't kick a football, they couldn't handball. Now they're very, very good at it and just to see that development in their skills is wonderful. But also they've made friends and some of them now socialise outside of Roosquad and that's really good. That's what gives me the most enjoyment.
Speaker 1:So the last question, and why should people volunteer with the City of Mitcham?
Speaker 2:I think the last 10 years for me has just been really, really good they have. When I first spoke to them, I was unsure about what I would do or where I would do it, but I had a long talk with the manager of Volunteers, lynn, and she put me in the right direction in community service, and that's really where I've been and I've really enjoyed that. So there's lots of options with City of Mitcham. With volunteering, you can do just about anything and everything, and there's a whole range of areas that volunteer programs exist within the council and they are most welcoming and the staff that I've worked with at the City of Mitcham have just been fantastic to work with and they're so supportive and really good people and that's what it's all about, yeah, so thank you so much for your time today, john, and sharing a little bit about you know about you know volunteering and how much is important.
Speaker 1:And then you know running a program with the, you know with the Roosh squad. You know, something tells me they're giving it a go and they're exciting and from two people, from 20, it's just a huge number and that's a team you put together. So that's coming fun and that's all about. And I've been playing for five years and I've almost made 70 games for Kenilworth and I've almost made 70 gains for Kenilworth in four. This will be the fourth grand final in five years, which is very unusual and it doesn't matter what level it is. You know I've won back-to-back and lost back-to-back, so you know it's harder to lose by one point than 100 points, more painful by one point. And you know, looking forward to another grand final not sure where, between nord or woodsville, which woodsville is part of be part of this inclusive comp. So, and the sanfl has taken on board since when I started, basically their second year. So we've had five teams for so long. Then we added six, then seven, now eight, so more teams are more interested and required to be part of it. And I know there's Goodwood. Goodwood are very strong with their inclusive as well. Kenilworth, christie's Beach, are very, very strong as well, which, if you have an inclusive team, you've got to be a big part and support and watch them play. If you just play and then leave, you don't know what you're missing. And they have a state team as well which is, you know, no different than you watch the legends of in the SNFL. We watch them all the time but we don't know.
Speaker 1:Oh, there is an inclusive state team. They go to well playing Queensland in October. It's very hot, but they give it all. You know. Same thing with the Irish. I've been part of that three times. I've done Special Olympics. You know it's not about winning the normal nights to lose, but you've got to move on. You know it is frustrating when we lose, but when you win, don't overdo it. And that's why I've learned, you know, don't be all. And then you said something nasty.
Speaker 2:You've got to switch on, I think the beauty of sport, and very much so football. I've always believed that it brings out the best in you and it really gives people a chance to be their best and to mix with other people and experience as you said, the joys of winning and the experience of losing as well, and learning to deal with both in a responsible manner, as you say, celebrating the right way, not the wrong way. And when you lose, yes, you're disappointed, but you take that on board and next time we're going to do better and it's about improvement as well, so I've always been a great believer.
Speaker 2:That is a great leveller in society and it delivers so many enjoyable experiences for people who participate in sport, and it's one of my great loves.
Speaker 1:I have to say it's a common thing about no matter what sport, you learn from a loss and the most important, I went to the, you know, inland Ocean final and the qualifier final and you know gnawed, you know finished. Fifth, you know good win against Port Adelaide and the amazing thing that we took on Central District and they beat us during the year. But that doesn't, you know. Yes, you win during the year, but all that matters is you win the last game and its finals.
Speaker 2:And what a good young side Central's are too. Yeah, and that was. I thought Central's might win that match, Ben, but obviously you were confident from the start.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, and something I've actually learned. Yes, I'm part of the cheer squad and you know Glenelg are a very strong cheer squad and Sturt you know because they're playing well. But if your team's not performing, you know, like West Adelaide and South Adelaide and Woodfield, they're not going to have their strong base cheer squad. You know, even if you have three, four people in a cheer squad supporting your team. And I went to the North West Adelaide game it was actually Daddy Bingo at West Adelaide Footy Club and I told Mum I'm going to watch the game and that's the one in both. But I think overall with the I'm doing a bit of an overall view from the 16s. 18s and reserves and under 16s have a second chance. They lost against Central's in back kicking on the Friday night, so that's recently so. But it's good to see young kids playing. You know juniors. Hopefully they'll play in a league. You know it's better.
Speaker 1:I've always think common in any team the weak team can beat the strong team. And a really good example West Coast have almost beat the strong team. And it's common the first time West Coast actually defeated Adelaide Crows. It was the first time in 19 years that Bonnywood been in West Coast and that happened. So break records of all time, don't ever expect to come in. We got this win.
Speaker 1:West Coast will just come up and I said this several times. I'll give them credit. That's how you pressure the ball. They brought the heat and it wasn't hard football. The hard football is not by player, it's actually picking up the footy. And Adelaide had to work and North Melbourne. They brought pressure and you know I didn't like North Melbourne back in the 90s if I was a child, but I like them now because they, you know, they took on, and every time Adelaide and North Melbourne play at Marble or Etihad or Telstra Dome, it's always high scoring. It's so it doesn't matter how North Melbourne. They didn't have their best players forward. Nick Larkey was on the sideline and look, they almost beat Adelaide.
Speaker 1:See, with no Buscelli, no Rakin, and now they can still win. You know you don't have to rely on those players, and that's what 2017 amazed me. I think this is a better team than 2017 in a lot of ways because we're more ready. We've got a really good coach, in my opinion, and I think I'm not confident to make the grand final because I'm a bit more mature in a way. I know what it's like. But LA yeah, even LA are favourites. It doesn't mean they're going to win and Conning will just be in their football. La will be in their football. It will be a close game, but I'm hoping LA should win this game. I think they'll have a better mindset. You never know what can happen.
Speaker 2:It's finals game, I think they'll have better mindset. You never know what can happen. It's finals, it is, and you'd almost have to say that with finals, every game is a 50 50 game. I mean, how do you determine who is the favored team to win? I I'm not sure you can in finals, because it's a different type of football and I just want to say something else about the afl.
Speaker 2:The AFL comes in for a lot of criticism sometimes about various issues in the league Look, and I understand that. But I've got to say football's in a really good place at the moment because our state league is doing pretty well. I noticed at Unley Oval the other week there were 5,500 people at a home game for Sturt in Sandville and that's a really healthy sign. And then we look at the women's league that has started up throughout the AFL at AFL level, sandville level and and club level. That is just thriving. So much the women's league. And now of course we have the inclusion programs which are, as you said, at kennelworth it's just taking off so so well with our roost squad program. The inclusion programs are just doing really really well and expanding. So I think football in general terms is really in a good place at the moment so so anyway, we're going to wrap it up today.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, john, for your time, and thank you very much to the Blackwood community and their support in running this program, and the city of Mitcham as well. So thank you, john, once again.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much, ben, and good luck for you and your red legs, no worries.
Speaker 1:All right, thank you so much. Enjoy the show. Cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers.
