The Yarra Junior Football League would like to acknowledge and pay tribute to its longest serving staff member Peter Nicholls who has recently retired after spending 24 years within the YJFL.
Peter started in the YJFL during its formation in 1997 and has fulfilled many roles within the League, including as General Manager up until his retirement in late August. Peter was also inducted as a YJFL Life Member in 2019.
Peter was the last League Secretary of the Hawthorn District Junior Football League prior to merging with the Doncaster District Football League to form the Yarra Junior Football League in 1997.
Since then, Peter has been a part time League Administrator, Tribunal Secretary and League Secretary prior to taking on a full-time role as General Manager in 2011.
He has spent almost every Sunday of the past 25 years at Bulleen Park, many of them preparing the venue for match day, including marking the ground every Sunday morning, prior to the league hiring a Ground Manager to support him as the League grew.
When the League took on female football, Peter added Saturday Morning Match Management to his long list of duties, and helped build the fledgling YJFL Youth Girls competition into what it is today.
Prior to Peter’s involvement in League administration, he was a Team Runner, Committee Member and Club Secretary during his son Adam’s playing days at Hawthorn Citizens JFC.
YJFL CEO Tim Murray said at Peter’s award of Life Membership of the YJFL, how grateful he was for the wisdom and experience he has bought to the League. ‘We would not be anything like the League we are today without Peter Nicholls’, he said. ‘We will be forever grateful for his contribution; he can’t be replaced, & he will never be forgotten.’
Long time friend and colleague Shaun Dowling, current YJFL Senior Football Operations Manager will always appreciate the life lessons he has learned while they’ve worked and volunteered across community sport together. “Peter has had a massive impact on community sport for a long time and just as big an impact upon those lucky enough to work with him in both a voluntary and professional capacity. He has always led by actions rather than words and if there was ever anything that needed to be done Peter was there doing it.”
“His calmness and wisdom is certainly going to leave a big hole here at League Headquarters.”
Thank you, Peter, for all you have done in this League, your hard work, dedication, and wisdom has allowed for a successful competition for thousands of boys and girls over the last 20+ years.
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