At a surprise ceremony on Monday evening, Whitsunday Touch Footballers welcomed a 45-year touch football legend to the rank of their club life members.
Brisbane-born John Weeks was caught off guard by the ceremony which honoured his life-long devotion to the sport and what he said was “overwhelming, touching and surprising.”
A member of the Whitsunday Touch Football Club for more than 10 years, John moved to the Whitsundays with his wife to retire, but only from work as a teacher, not from touch football.
Now 70, John has plied his knowledge of the game as a referee with the club for over a decade, and his accomplishments with the whistle at the club were just some of the few reasons he received the life membership.
His own journey as a touch footballer started at the age of 25 as a young teacher just out of university in Mackay.
From a young, skinny player scoring trys, John went on to organise state carnivals in the 80’s and manage two state North Queensland teams in the Under 15 boys and Under 15 girls – leading them to state championship wins.
John, still a teacher at heart, said those would be personal highlights, but “involvement over the years and seeing school kids come through and achieve great things in the sport” was the true reward.
He has seen the sport evolve from its own humble beginnings to become one of Australia’s favourites, and even in his time at the Whitsunday club, he has seen the sport evolve.
“I think we are really fortunate here; we have some grounds that are up there with the best in Queensland,” John said.
“I’m excited to see where the club will go in the future, because I think the sky’s the limit.”
At the end of his induction ceremony, Whitsunday Touch brought John back on the field for a match in one of the lower division sides, and he proved he still had what it takes, even scoring a try.
“I’m certainly feeling it this morning,” he laughed.
John Weeks, the newest life member of Whitsunday Touch
John put on the boots to have a go after many years away from the playing side of the game
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