General News
16 July, 2025
Doing it with love
By FIONA HALL From junior drop-offs to premierships, Boort’s footy mums reflect on their pivotal role in the club and community IT’S a typical winter Saturday at the footy oval. The smell of hot chips and hotdogs drifts through the crisp morning...
By FIONA HALL
From junior drop-offs to premierships, Boort’s footy mums reflect on their pivotal role in the club and community
IT’S a typical winter Saturday at the footy oval.
The smell of hot chips and hotdogs drifts through the crisp morning air. The roar of the crowd, the beep of car horns, and the cheers from the netball court create a familiar soundtrack to country sport.
But while the players battle it out on the field, it’s the footy mums who keep everything ticking along behind the scenes.
For the Boort football Club mums, last Saturday was an away game at Sea Lake, just a short 125km drive each way.
Still an early start that is typical on home day games when, long before the first siren sounds, footy mums are already hard at work in the club kitchen.
That’s when from 8am, the canteen comes alive with mums prepping sandwiches, buttering rolls, and stirring steaming pots of soup.
It’s a quiet but vital ritual — fuelling hungry players and spectators and creating a warm hub on chilly winter mornings.
Their early start sets the tone for the day and ensures everything runs smoothly from the first bounce to the final whistle.
“It’s busy, there’s always something happening, duties to do,” says Nikki Barraclough, proud footy mum to Sam.
“But you feel that connection when you do a job. It feels like your way of giving back and contributing in a meaningful way.”
Being a footy mum isn’t just about being a glorified taxi driver.
It means washing muddy guernseys, filming games, volunteering in the canteen, cheering from the sidelines — and sometimes doing all that before lunch.
Many mums also step into formal volunteer roles such as timekeeping, scoring, providing first aid, managing teams, or helping as trainers on game day.
And it doesn’t stop on Saturdays — there are the countless hours spent during the week driving to and from training sessions, often juggling work, family, and other commitments to make sure their kids get the chance to play the sport they love.
All up, footy mums might clock up 10 to 15 hours a week — often with little recognition, but lots of heart.
Nikki Barraclough doesn’t just watch the game — she captures it, filming Boort’s senior footy matches most Saturdays. “I love being able to use my skills to give something back,” she adds.
For many mums, watching their children grow through the ranks is a privilege.
“To watch your son run out onto the field with their teammates and have the anticipation of what is to come — it’s exciting,” says Maddie Scott, whose son has played from juniors right through to seniors.
A theme many parents talk about today is how valuable it is to see their kids involved in team sport.
Not just about fitness or fun — it’s about learning resilience, respect, and responsibility. Learning how to win and lose graciously teaches them a lot about life, and being part of a team helps build character in ways that go far beyond the scoreboard.
And it’s not just about the football. “Everything about being part of the Boort Footy Club is special,” Maddie says.
“It’s inclusive — from babies to grandparents. It’s a place where everyone comes together to connect, catch up, and support each other.
“The club teaches so much — health, wellbeing, mental health, teamwork, leadership, volunteering, and just having a go.”
Boort Football Netball Club is more than a sporting organisation — it’s a community hub and a classroom for life.
“There are so many great role models at the club,” Maddie continues.
“It’s welcoming and supportive, and it wouldn’t function without volunteers.”
While there are many incredible dads, grandparents, and club supporters who help out too, it’s often the mums who quietly carry the lion’s share week in, week out.
But being a footy mum isn’t without its challenges, especially when the physicality of senior football comes into play. Kim Potter says: “The only hard thing is watching your son get crunched. Senior footy is tougher, and you’re always hoping they’ll walk off the field each Saturday without any major injury.”
Kim has watched and felt every bump and bounce on the journey of her sons with Tom now a regular player in the senior team.
Mums may chat and cheer from the sidelines, but their eyes are always on their own. “
My son Lachie has bright orange boots. They make it easier to keep track of him — especially when I get distracted talking.
Sometimes you miss a great mark or goal if you look away for just a second. The orange boots help me find him again quickly!
From early mornings to late finishes, the commitment is real. With kids playing across different age groups — from under 14s to seniors, many mums are at the ground from 9am until well after the final siren.
And it’s not just football. The North Central Football League is unique in that it brings together footy, netball and hockey under one umbrella.
“It becomes a full-day affair,” one mum says. “But it’s also a chance to catch up on local news, connect with friends, and be part of something bigger than yourself.”
At the end of the day, footy mums don’t do it for the recognition. “
We do it because we love it — and we love them,” says Maddie. “There’s nothing better than seeing your kid out there, doing what they love, surrounded by community.”
So next time you’re at the game, take a moment to appreciate the footy mums in the canteen, on the sidelines, or behind the camera, keeping the heart of the club beating, one Saturday at a time.
Fiona Hall is a post graduate diploma student in strategic communications at the University of Tasmania.
She has been on placement with the Loddon Herald over the past week