Scotch College

Old Scotch footballers to the 'fore'

Months ago when the Old Scotch Football Club pencilled in August 17, as the night for The Main Event - its major social and fund-raising activity - there was a very secret agenda in the minds of the organisers.

"We were desperate to make the final four this year and were hoping that we would know that night whether we were going to make it", club joint president Geoff Speed remarked.

The club's prayers were answered because that afternoon an emphatic victory at Melbourne High School guaranteed the club a place in the 2002 A Section final four.

In fact the club's three teams had all won that afternoon to set the scene for a wonderful night! One hundred and fifty players, parents and supporters enjoyed a superb meal, a lively auction of many excellent catalogue items and some good old-fashioned rock music from Bad Medicine.

Under Dale Tapping's coaching the youthful team with an average age of twenty-two has made great progress over the season. Young teams are prone to form fluctuations over a season but one constant in the efforts of the 2002 team has been its ability to come back in the final quarter of several games and feature in nail biting finishes. And fortunately a majority have gone Old Scotch's way.

The club had undergone a huge transformation due to a massive turnover of players but the Reserve, Under 19 and Under 17 teams have all recorded good wins during the season and will provide a platform for next season.

Whatever the outcome of the finals, the club has already set in motion plans for season 2003. Due to Tim Shearer's appointment as Executive Director of OSCA the club took the opportunity in early August to review its structure and future goals. After a year in recess the club plans to field a third eighteen to primarily cater for Under 23 players and has already hosted a lunch for Year 12 boys with a view to them joining the club next season.