Passion gives Dawn the power

JOEL RITCHIE

DAWN Power says she is passionate about soccer " to rack up 30 years' service with the local junior soccer club she'd have to be.

The Kiama Junior Soccer Club matriarch was honoured for 30 years service to the club at the recent presentation.

What's more, she also received her second consecutive clubperson of the year award.

Dawn has been a servant of football in the Illawarra for 30 years without ever playing a game.

"I came from the Riverina and down that way we were Australian Rules," Dawn said.

"I've never played it before, but I'm passionate about soccer."

Not surprisingly, Dawn said watching junior games is her favourite form of the code.

"I like watching the juniors, I can't really say why, I like watching any sort of sport but watching the youngsters develop is great," she said.

She's had plenty of chances during her 30 years as a canteen worker, registrar, secretary, referee appointments officer and minutes secretary of the past seven seasons.

Dawn has also been the Roo Ball Coordinator for the Illawarra Junior Football Association for the past nine years, while her son, David Ware, has served as competition secretary.

The duo was both awarded life membership of the Kiama Junior Soccer Club in 1992 and the Australian Sports Medal.

It was her sons, David Ware and Shaun Power, who started Dawn down her road to soccer service.

"Both the boys played for Kiama as juniors and my daughter, Ruth Power, was a cheerleader for the Wollongong Wolves and Marconi.

"I like it when I have seen someone playing in the under 6s and ten years later they graduate to be referees.

"It's great when you see a player receive a plaque for ten years' service " ten years with one club is a milestone."

Then what about 30 years at one club?

"It has gone really quick " my eldest son, David, was one of the first players for the club," Dawn said.

As special presentation moment for Dawn was presenting medallions to the Kiama club's first two girl's teams.

"That was really nice " I was really in the mood to do that after presenting medals at the junior grand finals the week before," Dawn said.

Dawn said although numbers had increased over the years, Kiama Junior Soccer Club remained a "?friendly, family club'.

"To me the club hasn't really changed " the numbers have increased but it is still a friendly club; some of the clubs are so big that people don't get to know each other."

Dawn said she would be back in the saddle in 2008, but couldn't give any guarantees beyond that.

"I'm still enjoying it " when I find it an effort I might stop," she said.

"I don't have any idea how many meetings I've been to or games I've watched, but I'd stagnate without Kiama Junior Soccer Club.

"I have made a lot of friends through soccer in Kiama and the Illawarra."

Dawn said she couldn't have kept going without the late Bruce Lord, her son David Ware, outgoing Kiama Junior Soccer Club secretary Wayne McPherson and club stalwarts Ken Parker, Pat Keating, Gai Hutchinson and Vicki Tidswell.