GEOFF “Gough” Dumesny has served the Pimpinio Football and Netball Club since he was a boy, joining the club with his father.
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Dumesny has played more than 200 senior games for the Tigers and his resume includes an abundance of volunteering roles to help his beloved club.
Dumesny has a busy schedule on game day, being one of the team selectors and a trainer for the reserves and seniors.
He helps with the corporate box by bringing food and beverages to patrons and to finish off the day, he steps behind the bar.
He arrives at the club in time to watch some of the junior football matches but then must turn his focus to his trainer duties with the reserves.
“I don’t get to see a whole lot of footy. I don’t get to watch any reserves because I am strapping the seniors. It’s full on from about 11am until the seniors start,” Dumesny said.
Dumesny was the corporate box manager for seven years but said he decided to help out as a trainer instead.
“I still help out and pour the beers,” he said.
After the football matches have finished, he heads straight to the bar to serve the Pimpinio loyal.
“Sometimes I don’t close up until 1am or 2am. It can be a long day,” he said.
Dumesny said he enjoyed getting to know people while he worked behind the bar.
“I got an (Responsible Service of Alcohol qualification) and got straight into it,” he said.
“You seem to get to know a lot more people behind the bar.
“Everybody comes up and starts to talk to you. You get a few hard-luck stories and a few good stories.”
Dumesny said the club had a strong social atmosphere and it was family friendly.
“They always seem to have a good time. They don’t have a problem with that,” Dumesny said.
“We have a mystery bus tour coming up and there are two full 45-seater busses going.
“At the black tie ball a couple of weeks ago, 130 people turned up so it’s not like the members don’t support it.”
The club has been a huge part of his life.
“I think you are born and bred for these things. Losing doesn’t really worry me but just as long as you love playing football,” Dumesny said.
“You are there for the friends, family and kids. There are always a new group of kids every year.
“They just want to play, so you have to go and support them. You then keep yourself busy while you are there.
“The day goes pretty quick, don’t you worry about that.”
It is coming close to 40 years that Dumesny has been involved with the club.
“My father coached Pimpinio for a start and we lived in Pimpinio, so I more or less started going to the footy since then,” he said.
“I played almost all of my football at Pimpinio. I went away for one year.”
Dumesny played at full-back in his younger years and at centre half-back in his senior years.
“They never let me go forward,” he said.
“I would have loved to go forward but that’s just how it goes.”
Dumesny said he learned a lot from his playing days and now uses the knowledge when helping in the selection process.
“I’ve been a selector for 12 years now. I took over the year after our last premiership win,” he said.
His first job at the club was umpiring the boundary at age 13.
“Pimpinio has been good to me so I will keep following them, that’s all there is to it,” Dumesny said.
- Gough Dumesny’s story continues a weekly series on the people behind our winter sport. To nominate a volunteer from your club, email newsdesk@mailtimes.com.au.
