Community connections through sport and food

While they may be the Treasurer and Secretary of the Forest Rangers Soccer Club, Tracy and Marilyn are perhaps best known around the club and in the community for their work in the club’s canteen — specifically, the weekly meals they host for the club’s junior players.

In the past, the dinners attracted between 30 and 60 players. Now, the Thursday night dinners host more than 100 players each week, often with parents in tow.

“We started it years ago because we had a few new Sudanese players who came to training, but would often leave straight away after training,” Tracy says.

“We wanted them to get talking and get to know the other kids and build friendships, so we started the dinner.” 

Since the club’s first dinners, a few things have changed.

Not only has the club grown significantly, but it has also since moved into new club rooms that were built as part of the Wendouree West Recreation Reserve - Strengthening Wendouree Community Recreation Precinct Project. This project was completed early last year.

The club has also attracted a regular sponsor that provides the food for the meals each week — in the past, Marilyn and Tracy would buy discounted McCains pizzas with money they had earned from Bunnings barbecue fundraisers.

While the new facilities have played a role in attracting new people to the club, Marilyn and Tracy say the community focus of the club is keeping them there.

“We’re building connections with kids and families, it creates a lot of friendships,” Tracy says.

“We have players that have played continuously for 20 years that bring their kids — we’re doing something right, because they’re not leaving!” 

Through their dedication to fostering a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, Tracy and Marilyn are not only enriching the lives of the local soccer players, but they are also strengthening the bonds that tie their community together.

For example, Marilyn and Tracy have also been known to provide some food to local families doing it tough.

“We don’t ask – we just do,” Marilyn says.

“We try to be inclusive, because it’s everybody’s club. We’re here to work for the community.”

Read our news item: Sport and community combine for bright future at Wendouree West Recreation Reserve - the Strengthening Wendouree Community Recreation Precinct Project.