1. Page 1 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report

2. CONTENTS PageContentsPageContents 2 Life Members List221sts Statistics 3 Vale242nds Coach Report 5 Committee & Office Bearers252nds Statistics 6 Presidents Report283rds Coaches Report 8 NBC Phone App293rds Statistics 9 Club Managers Report314ths Coaches Report 11 Treasurers Report324ths Statistics 13 Junior Teams34Womens Team Coaches Report 14 Junior Coordinators Report35Womens Team Statistics 16 Junior State & Elite Team Representatives 37Masters Team Coaches Report 17 Junior Trophy Winners39Senior Trophy Winners 18 Junior Snapshots40Sponsors 19 Playing Managers Report42 VOSCA Cricket – Coordinators Report 20 Senior Teams43Activities Manager Report 21 1sts Report45Conclusion

3. LIFE MEMBERS LIST Page 2 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report 1966 Mrs A. Gansberg ** G. Williams ** 1967 Mrs J. Bourke ** Mrs L. Ruby ** Mrs C. Grubb ** Mrs R. Bennett ** Mrs G. Williams ** 1968 B. Shields 1970 C. James J. Dunstone Mrs A. Whiffen 1971 R. Thomas ** 1972 B. Cleary 1974 G. Murdoch 1976 D. Cornish G. Butlin 1977 J. Taylor ** 1978 J. Merriman W. Minett Mrs B. Bunting 1980 J. Smith 1982 P. Murdoch 1984 David Malthouse J. Armstrong J. Lynch 1986 C. Smith G. Walshe J. Comer R. Scott 1988 S. Bunting 1990 I. Middlemass 1992 G. Bunting R. Simpson 1994 A. Harris P. Cassell 1996 D. Mildenhall T. Williams 1998 B. Portelli Snr. 2000 R. Stott C. Dey 1934 H. Johnson 1937 J. Marx 1940 G. Edwards 1945 G. Carroll 1946 L. Duggan 1949 J. Cornish L. Fraser M. Ryan S. McKay 1952 J. Richardson L. Cosway 1953 W. Gledhill 1954 R. Briscoe R. Davies W. Thom 1956 A Herring H. Douglas H. Johnson ** R. Bennett ** W. Gledhill ** L. Fraser ** 1958 L. Milne N. McKenzie I. Christie ** J. Bourke ** L. Duggan ** 1960 L. Richardon 1962 G. Williams Mrs J. Cornish Mrs M. Ryan Mrs D. Thom J. Cocks ** F. Evans ** A. Gansberg ** 1964 W. Milne 1965 G. Cleak ** C. Grubb ** 1966 D. Sturrock ## Mrs J. Richardson W. Thom ** 2001 R. Penrose D. Wood 2002 Mrs V. Stott 2003 Darren Malthouse A. Howard 2004 S. Cleary 2005 S. Comben 2007 M. Jowett S. Centurino 2008 A. King D. Riches 2009 Mrs B. Malthouse Mrs K. Pengelly 2010 J. Pengelly ** Cricket Life Member ## Cricket & Baseball Life Member (dec) (dec)

4. VALE Page 3 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Graeme Walshe(September 2013) Newport Baseball Club is saddened by the passing of Graeme Walshe. Graeme died with dignity at home after a long battle with illness. Graeme was a long term RAMS administrator and former Club President, he was awarded Life Membership in 1986. Graeme was the first of three generations at NBC with his son Paul and grandsons Joshua and James following in his passion for NBC. Joyce Ruby(November 2013) Mrs Joyce Ruby passed away at the age of 94 on Friday November 29. Mrs Ruby was inducted as a Life Member of the Cricket Section of the Newport Baseball Club in 1967 (under the name of “Mrs L Ruby – for her husband Les, as was the custom in years gone by). Mrs Ruby, as she was always known to all club members, would always provide and arrange the morning teas for the cricketers and she was regularly involved in organising and attending social events for members. She was the sister of George Williams (NBC Life members have been awarded the “George Williams Life Member” medal in George’s honour since 2000). George would often say that their family was the only one with 4 people who were life members at any club – George, his wife Jesse, son Terry and sister Joyce are all NBC Life Members. Mrs Ruby lived in Durkin St, Newport; one door up from George & Jesse Williams. Durkin St runs right up to the Newport Oval, which was the original home of the Newport Baseball Club. Don Cornish(January 2014) Don Cornish passed away on Wednesday 29 January after a long battle with illness. Don was awarded Life Membership in 1976 in recognition of his many years as a dedicated RAMS member that saw him taking the field as a player and then many years as part of the senior coaching group. Don's parents; Jack & "Bubb" Cornish, as well as his Uncle; Alf Herring were also NBC Life Members as well as being foundation members of NBC. Don was instrumental in the development of the RAMS club rooms in the 70's contributing his drive and plumbing expertise to the construction of the club rooms we enjoy today. Don's son Tony followed in his footsteps at NBC and after both moved to Essendon BC some years ago, both were awarded Life Membership there. A great baseball family that NBC is very proud of and grateful to.

5. VALE Page 4 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report George Bunting(January 2014) George Bunting passed away on 31 December following a long battle with illness. George was an NBC stalwart and was awarded Life Membership in 1992. Among many things George contributed to NBC he served as the bar manager for many years. In his playing days George was quite the proficient cricket bowler who came to NBC from Willy CY's when his son Alan started playing for NBC Cricketers. George saw that the whole family got involved at NBC: - George and son Alan played cricket. - Wife Margaret and daughter Kaylene (Life Member 2009) played softball at NBC and Kaylene later served as club secretary for 9 years. - Son in law Jordon Pengelly (Life Member 2010) plays baseball & is current bar manager. - Grandsons Stephen & Sean still play senior baseball. After retiring George and Margaret moved to Lakes Entrance over 15 years ago for a sea change but he always maintained an active interest in the clubs progress. Rick Dunstone(August 2013) Rick Dunstone passed away suddenly in August 2013. Rick was the son of Life Member Jack Dunstone and himself a senior & masters player at NBC for many years. Rick’s bubbly personality and enthusiasm for the game were sorely missed during the past season. Clive Foskett(September 2013) Clive Foskett passed away in September 2013 after a short battle with illness. Clive was a stalwart Masters baseballer whose easy going nature and sharp wit were infectious. This is best displayed by his wish that those attending his funeral do so in his trademark Hawaiian shirt. Graham Moss(August 2013) The Newport Baseball Club is saddened by the passing of Graham Moss, current player, club member since 2012 and founding member of the over 60's cricket team. Our sincerest condolences to the family.

6. COMMITTEE & OFFICE BEARERS President Trent Curwood Secretary Treasurer Paul Walshe Mark Jowett Junior Coordinator Activities Manager Caron Condie Jacinta Edwards Page 5 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Junior Sub-Committee Caron Condie – Chairperson Leanne Wilson – Secretary Greg Spaetgens Jacinta Edwards Paul Walshe Life Members Sub-Committee Peter Cassell Ben Portelli Snr. Darren Malthouse Anthony Howard Bob Milne Trust Sub Committee Dick Murdoch David Malthouse Ben Portelli Jnr. Club Coach Grant Weir Assistant Secretary Ben Portelli Jnr. Assistant Treasurer Peter Kilbourne Masters Representative Alan Bunting Facilities Manager Roland Stott Bar Manager Jordon Pengelly Kitchen Manager Karen van Wyngaarden Club Manager Peter McNish Players Representative Scot Malthouse

7. PRESIDENTS REPORT Page 6 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report My first year as president has been a source of great enjoyment and pride. On a sad note first up, I must mention that a number of current members, former members and Life Members passed away over the past 12 months, all of whom we have recognised individually in the Vale tributes earlier in the Annual Report. One small way our club and its members were able help the individual families was to provide the clubrooms to some of the grieving families to hold wakes on behalf of the deceased. I was very proud how the Newport Baseball Club community stepped up to help these families and this makes you realise the important role our club plays in the local community. The new committee aimed for improvement in all areas with no singular focus and I feel this was achieved. Financially I believe we have implemented and achieved a more sustainable model. We turned around a loss from last year to a respectable profit this year whilst still allocating additional funds to spend on such things as an import player, remedial grounds work and seven new screens. Mark Jowett has spent an enormous amount of time modernising our accounting and reporting system's and for that I thank him. I also thank those members involved in the Bob-Milne sub-committee. Our junior program continues to grow with Caron Condie and her junior committee continuing to see rewards for the countless hours they contribute. We had over 120 registered juniors and all had quality coaching, equipment and facilities to develop their skills to the best possible level. It filled me with great pride to see so many children not only training and playing games but also attending Tuesday meals nights, movie nights and the Christmas party. The senior program took the leap back up to Division One. Our Firsts were more than competitive finishing third in their conference. Our other senior teams struggled at times to be competitive and we even struggled to field full teams on multiple occasions this year. I thank the coaching staff of all teams for their efforts. I feel our depth is one of our areas of focus for the coming year. Player retention, recruitment and getting back 'old' Newport Baseball Club players should be our priority in the coming season. Why not aim for 5 senior teams in the future? Why not aim for the Club Championship? Both goals are lofty but if we continue to aim high who knows what we will achieve in the future. I thank Scot Malthouse for his contribution as Playing Manager, it is a difficult role to manage and even more difficult when you are a current Firsts player. Another success was the reintroduction of a woman’s team in Division 3 that was a combined team with Essendon Baseball Club. Starting a team from scratch has enormous challenges but they were rewarded with a Grand Final birth where unfortunately they were runners up. I thank Dean Anglin; for without his drive and commitment quite simply we would not have a woman's program. Master's baseball continues to grow. Participation was at an all time high, which was lucky as so was the injury rate. This is an area that with continued focus will continue to grow with the possibility of two teams in the near future. I thank Alan Bunting and Jordon Pengelley for their hard work and more importantly their patience. VOSCA over 60’s cricket under the stewardship of Peter Cassell also continues to grow. The enthusiasm of the players is something we can all learn from. I should note the resilience of Dave Malthouse. I’m not sure where the rest of the family get their frailty from.

8. Page 7 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Events, Marketing & Sponsorship were a focus this year and I'm delighted to say we saw outstanding improvements in revenue, participation and communication about all events. The Major Draw, Life Members Day and Christmas Party were marquee events which attracted record numbers. The Gold Merino Club had a record 35 members and spent the money raised on such things as the table tennis table, the "Rams BBQ" and the bar renovation. A big thank you to Chad Porter for managing the Gold Merino club this year. The other achievements are too many to list here but are covered in this Annual Report. If we continue to take these incremental steps forward our club will continue to thrive. I thank Jacinta Edwards for her continued hard work in this area. I could not pay a bigger compliment than to say that Jacinta is a person that is happy to do all of the behind the scenes jobs that no-one knows are being done. She seeks no recognition but you still get maximum effort. I also wish to thank Anthony Howard for his hard work across multiple functions and areas. Off field we have continued to invest in capital improvements. The club invested in the continued improvement of our field including new screens, new crushed brick surfaces and a new Under 12's home plate area to name a few items. Our clubrooms continue to receive their gradual facelift and these items are listed later in this Annual Report. Our focus in the future should be how to best use the clubrooms for the benefit of our members whether this is through more events, greater flexibility for training or more external functions to raise much needed funds to spend on the club and keep our membership fees as low as possible. Thank you to Peter McNish for all of his efforts in particularly the countless applications for government and other grants. Peter's efforts did not go unrewarded as we were successful in receiving a VicHealth grant for over $2,500 for equipment and other safety items. Government and other grants are an untapped resource which we hope to continue to tap into and there is a lot of scope for other members to get involved here. The new combination of Paul Walshe as Secretary and myself as President has meant I have relied heavily on him to be my right hand man. The roles Paul holds throughout the club are far too numerous to list but include Club Secretary, Junior Committee member, Club Groundsman, Junior Coach, Masters Outfielder and many more. His passion for the club in undeniable and infectious. Thank you for your continued drive to and success of improving our club. I'd like to personally thank Ben Portelli Junior. Your assistance to Paul Walshe as Assistant Secretary has been invaluable. Your counsel to me has been a huge asset that many would be unaware of and your drive and love for the club know no bounds. Thank You. To those I have not mentioned I thank you for making the Newport Baseball Club a better place to be. I am proud of our club being Home Grown and a Family Club. It has been a delight to see so many people put up their hands to assist this year and if this continues we will be a success and be the envy of the baseball community. Overall, I'm proud to say we achieved a lot of what we hoped to this past year. That isn't to say we do not have huge challenges ahead of us as both financially and on-field we cannot afford to rest. Our major focus this coming year should be on setting the club up for the medium to long term including not only focusing on day to day operations and running our club as best we can, but also setting out a Strategic Business Plan to ensure the club achieves continued success both on and off the field. Trent Curwood President

9. NBC PHONE APP Page 8 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Features Include: Instant messages, club events, photos, ladders, sponsors, fixtures and more. Install the Newport Baseball Club App on your smartphone now! Follow these steps: 1. Download Team App from the Apple or Google Play app store. 2. Sign up to Team App. You will be sent an email to confirm your registration. 3. Log into the App and search for Newport Baseball Club

10. CLUB MANAGERS REPORT Page 9 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report The past 12 months has been a big year for the Rams with the club returning to Division 1 and making an impact in States top league. With a new conference system we more than held our own with wins against all but 2 other clubs. The highlight being a 3 game sweep over Geelong who has been a perennial finalist over the past few years. Last season was very successful for Rams making state and national representative teams. Congratulations to junior and senior players who represented themselves, NBC, Victoria and Australia at Junior Nationals, U/23 Nationals, Women’s Nationals and Cal Ripken Tournaments. Also a special mention to our senior players who where honoured with Baseball Victoria awards for their outstanding performances during the season. Off the field has also been a big year with many members contributing to improve our clubs facilities. Without a doubt our club boasts some of the best facilities within the state with even more renovations and improvements on the way. This past season members contributed their time, funds and expertise to assist the club with the following:- - Supply and installation of new evaporative air-conditioner - Supply and installation of dishwasher in the bar - Supply of materials and labour to repair the underlying base of infield running tracks - Painting of ‘Hall of Fame’ doors, bar and clubrooms - Supply of materials and labour for bar renovations - Donation to purchase Glasses for the bar - Kitchen/Bar Volunteers - Senior and Junior Coaches - Umpires - Scorers - Field Preparation Financially, a major contribution to the club this year has been our clubroom hire. Our rooms have been hired out for many functions which helps raise our clubs profile as well as contributing much needed revenue. Recently the club was a successful recipient of a VicHealth Active Club grant which will contribute $2,800 towards protective equipment, first aid kits and a defibrillator in 2014/15.

11. CLUB MANAGERS REPORT Page 10 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Sponsors have also been pivotal to our clubs success this season. Please refer to our sponsors wall and where possible support them as they support us. Special thanks should also go out to the Hobsons Bay City Council Recreation Facilities Department for their continued support in assisting us to provide a facility for the benefit of members and the local community. A big thank-you to our section managers who manage our Facility, Bar, Kitchen, Playing Fields and also to our Cleaning staff whose tireless commitment and efforts don’t’ go un- noticed. A job well done. On a sad note this season has seen the passing of many members, past members and life members. Condolences to all family and friends for their loss. Finally to my fellow committee members, players, parents and coaches thank-you for your support and commitment in making our club as great as it is. Apologies for not naming names in this report but there are too many of you to mention, I appreciate your contribution. Peter McNish Club Manager

12. TREASURERS REPORT Page 11 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report This year’s treasurer’s report covers two important areas of the financial performance of the Newport Baseball Club. The first one being the investment and spend of the Bob Milne funds and the second being the operating performance of the club. Bob Milne Bequest. As discussed at last year’s AGM we had looked at the bequest with a long term view. The strategy put into place was to have annual drawings while maintaining the real value of the asset. With this in mind 70% of the monies were invested in managed funds, with the balance left in an interest bearing cash account. In the last 12 months, this strategy generating a return of 10%. This is certainly above our expectations and will help set up a great base for the future. In the first year we have invested in our facilities with the Purchase and installation of new air conditioning unit, painting of the clubroom ceiling, dry cleaning of curtains, Installation of new doors to the hall of fame and the purchase and installation of stairs to the scorers box on the main diamond. The major investments for this year will be to replace our heaters, purchase a new audio system, upgrade the outdated alarm system, purchase a club pitching machine.

13. TREASURERS REPORT Page 12 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Operating performance The operating performance for 2014 showed an improvement in operating profit of approximately $4,000. With expenses remaining constant, the improvement has come from increases to the following revenues - fundraising, bar, kitchen and sponsorship. This is a result of greater member participation in social functions, an increase in hiring of the club rooms and an improved sponsorship drive. Revenue was also bolstered by the receipt of a government grants. Thanks Peter McNish for your hard work on preparing the successful submission. These increases however were offset by a reduction in membership income caused by a reduction in full fee paying members. Overall the club made significant strides towards being financially secure, by generating enough income to cover all expenses. The Future The challenge for the club over the next few years will to build on the member participation which was a key highlight this year. The bigger challenge will be to increase player membership. This is something we can all help by encouraging new and old members to be a part of it. Mark Jowett Club Treasurer

14. JUNIOR TEAMS Page 13 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Friday Junior Teams T-Ball (5-9 Yrs)CoordinatorLyndon Hockey Assistant CoachLachlan Condie Assistant CoachAngus Edwards Under 12 RAMSCoachGraham Norman Assistant CoachAyden Norman Under 12 RangersCoachBrendan O’Brien Assistant CoachDavid Hoke Under 12 MerinosCoachGreg Spaetgens “SEMI FINALISTS”Assistant CoachRachel Howard Under 14 RAMSCoachSteve Cleary Assistant CoachPeter Kilbourne Sunday Junior Teams Under 12 RAMSCoachGreg Wray “PREMIERS”Assistant CoachTodd Grego Under 14 RAMSCoachPaul Walshe Under 16 RAMSCoachShane Comben “RUNNERS UP”Assistant CoachGraham Norman Under 18 RAMSCoachJordan Young Assistant CoachJeremy Young

15. JUNIOR COORDINATORS REPORT Page 14 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report This year Newport again had more than 100 Juniors take the field on a weekly basis – from our excited t-ballers each Friday night; our Under 12’s and 14’s playing in the local west competition and our higher level junior teams competing on Sunday mornings. I would like to thank all the families for not only bringing their children down to play, but supporting the club by working in the canteen, the Bunnings BBQ and attending the club functions. Attendance at the junior movie nights was great, as was the family Christmas party. We hope to increase the number of junior functions we will have for the upcoming season as we continue to provide a family friendly atmosphere to be enjoyed both on and off the field. The Junior sub-committee this year was Leanne Wilson, Jacinta Edwards, Paul Walshe and Greg Spaetgens. I would like these people to know how much all their work is appreciated in taking on the vast workload of administration, canteen and on-field work. The past year’s T-Ball program was run by Lyndon Hockey, – (along with help from the older juniors which was fantastic to see) with the numbers in the program having increased. This grass roots entry level is so important and we hope the numbers continue to rise. Our Under 12’s Sunday team took out the premiership in the Major league level which was fantastic to watch, we also had quite a number of NBC junior players were selected for representative teams as detailed after this report. Year in Review - Over 20 children participated in the T-ball program - We had 8 Junior teams entered in the summer season competition - Three Under 12 teams in the Friday night area centre competition – one of these making - the finals. - One Under 12 team in the Major League Sunday competition – winning the premiership - One Under 14 team in the Friday night area centre competition - One Under 14 teams in the Sunday competition - One Under 16 team – made the grand final - One Under 18 team combined with some players from Footscray Baseball Club - Currently we have two winter teams (1 x U13 & 1 x U15)

16. JUNIOR COORDINATORS REPORT Page 15 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report To all the coaching staff this year; thank you and we appreciate all the time you gave to the kids and the club. Thank you to all our scorers – it is so much appreciated. Hard role to fill but yet so important. This Winter Newport made the decision after many years of affiliation with the Geelong Baseball Association to move to the Melbourne Winter Baseball League. We are hopeful by entering this league that we can grow our Club during winter. The MWBL provides a high level of senior and junior competition with many participating clubs. Of course as we continue with growth comes the need for more coaches, scorers and support staff; we know this is a regular line in all reports and other forums, but it is a fact of any sports club. There is no point in the club continuing to grow its junior numbers if we cannot give them the high standard of baseball experience that NBC currently provides. Reflection reveals many areas which can be improved upon. One of the summer season planning days, which are to be held in the upcoming months, will involve coaches and other interested parents and members of the Club to ‘have a voice’ – a forum to suggest/share any ideas for improvement moving forward. NBC junior baseball & t-ball provides our young people with an energetic, safe and inclusive sporting experience that not only serves as an introduction to a life time involvement in our great game, but also has far reaching benefits outside of sport including; physical and mental health, social skills, self-esteem, self confidence and a strong feeling of belonging. I believe that Newport have the foundations in place and can only improve as a great junior club: if we keep moving forward ‘in the Newport way’ we will bring long term success for the seniors in years to come. Caron Condie Junior Coordinator

17. JUNIOR STATE & ELITE TEAM REPRESENTATIVES Page 16 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Jamie YoungUnder 16 Victorian Team White Kyle MorrisonUnder 14 Victorian Team Blue Under 14 Winter Carnival Representative Team Nathan BezzinaUS Cal Ripken Series Under 14 Victorian Team Blue Under 14 Winter Carnival Representative Team James Walshe Under 14 Victorian Team White Under 14 Winter Carnival Representative Team Jaidyn WilsonUnder 14 Winter Carnival Representative Team Nathan WinklerUnder 14 Winter Carnival Representative Team Aaron RobsonWestern Mets Little League Team Under 12 Winter Carnival Representative Team Japan 2014 Touring Team Ryan MorrisonWestern Mets Little League Team Under 12 Winter Carnival Representative Team Japan 2014 Touring Team Julius CrinoWestern Mets Little League Team Under 12 Winter Carnival Representative Team Zico MitchellWestern Mets Little League Team Max LeugaWestern Mets Little League Team US Cal Ripken Series 2014 Mason WrayWestern Mets Little League Team Japan 2014 Touring Team Holly HowardUnder 12 Winter Carnival Representative Team Mason CondieUnder 12 Winter Carnival Representative Team Keenan SpenceWestern Mets Little League Team Japan 2014 Touring Team Harun PeljaWestern Mets Little League Team Japan 2014 Touring Team Fraser Paull Under 14 Winter Carnival Representative Team

18. JUNIOR TROPHY WINNERS Page 17 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report All RAMS T-Ball players and Friday night U12 players were presented with an NBC printed baseball as a participation award. U12 Sunday Team Coaches Award – Jai Haines Batting Award – Nikau Pouaka-Grego Most Valuable Player – Ryan Morrison Friday U14 RAMS Most Consistent – Tania Capovilla Best Defensive Player – Jack Hiatt Most Valuable Player – Chandler Cooper Sunday U14 RAMS Most Improved – Max Leuga Most Consistent – James Walshe Most Valuable Player – Nathan Bezzina U16 RAMS Most Versatile – Matthew Leckie Most Consistent – Angus Edwards Most Valuable Player – Tyler Comben U18 RAMS Most Improved – Connor Allen Best Defensive Player – Joshua Walshe Most Valuable Player – Jack van Wyngaarden PERPETUAL AWARDS Best U14 Player Best U16 Player Best Junior Player Stan McKay Award Tyler Comben W. Thom Award Nathan Bezzina Jack van Wyngaarden

19. JUNIOR SNAPSHOT Page 18 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report

21. PLAYING MANAGERS REPORT Page 19 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Season 2013/2014 saw Newport’s return to Division 1 Baseball. Although the lower grades struggled a little bit with the step up in class, the 1sts had a good season on the field. A problem that the club is working extremely hard to overcome is a lack of depth in the 2nds, 3rds and 4ths. A major focus on developing the talent in these grades during the 2014/2015 pre-season and attracting players to our club to bolster our depth over the offseason will be a major focus over the coming months. The club invested a lot on the facilities during the year to ensure that we were well equipped for trainings and game days. The addition of new screens for the season, the continued improvement in the ground and the abundance of quality training balls all gave us the facilities we require to create a professional on-field program. The players enjoyed the social side of the club with Tuesday night meals always a hit with the players to have a beer and some dinner after training. The more enjoyable these social occasions become, the more inclined all players will be to stick around after training and on Sundays Senior Presentation Night in particular was a highlight of the season and a great way to finish off the year. The new layout of the night and the introduction of some history about the origins of the people whose names are on the major trophies was a great way for the younger members of the club to learn about the great people who have come before us. Finally, a big thanks to Walshy for doing a great job on the grounds and to all the senior coaches for the time and effort they put in over the last year! Scot Malthouse Playing Manager

22. SENIOR TEAMS Page 20 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Baseball Teams 1stsCoachGrant Weir Assistant CoachGavin Young Assistant CoachPeter McNish 2ndsCoachDean Anglin Assistant CoachLeigh Barnes 3rdsCoachRoland Stott 4thsCoachJordon Pengelly MastersCoachAlan Bunting Assistant CoachJordon Pengelly Women’s “RUNNERS UP” CoachDean Anglin Cricket VOSCA (Over 60’s)ManagerPeter Cassell

23. 1STS REPORT Page 21 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Once again the 1sts had a season to be proud of, as is widely said; getting back to Division 1 is a great achievement, staying there in the first year back is even more of an achievement. Not only did the 1sts stay in Div 1 they finished 3rd in their conference and 7th overall out of 12 teams, which is a significant achievement. Once again the 1sts consisted of many familiar faces that have made up the team of the past few years, along with a few additions starting to push their case for regular selection, names like; Young, Malthouse, Lawman, Foreman, Weir, Anglin, Siepolt, McNish, Van Wyngaarden, Wilson, Pengelly are a team with a very low average age, yet a team that played as a very well rounded unit with a wealth of experience between them. The players came to each game ready to play as a team on a mission to prove to some of the older more accomplished teams in the league that The RAMS are to be taken seriously in Division 1. This was certainly achieved with many clubs sitting up and taking notice. Over the 2013 winter a suitable non-national player was identified and Travis Bass arrived just in time for game 1. The expectation was that Travis would share the mound with Griffin Weir, himself coming off two Mackrell winning seasons. From early on it was clear Travis was a tough ball player and as the season went on he just got stronger throwing a number of complete games. Travis threw 81 innings for 75 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.5. Travis was also strong offensively hitting 0.351 for the season. Travis was well supported on the mound by Griffin throwing 68 innings for an ERA of 4.1 as well as Jeremy Young whose hard work in the bullpen showed he has earned his place on a Division 1 mound. Jeremy Young threw 32 innings to finish with an ERA of 1.1, this was to earn him the Baseball Victoria ERA award (the Harry Douglas Memorial Award, named after our very own Harry Douglas). Matthew Lawman and Cameron McNish also took the mound on multiple occasions to enable the RAMS to have a range of arms that worked well across the season. Despite being such a young team the RAMS 1sts finished with a win/loss record of 13/11, scoring 139 runs across the season (just 1 less than 2013/14 Champions - Essendon) A number of highlights across the season include sweeping runner-up Geelong across the season, some come from behind wins and taking it up to a number of teams we were not expected to challenge. It is fair to say that provided the core of the team stays together there is significant success just around the corner for this group and perhaps with a few additions to strengthen the depth, many of us at NBC can dare to dream about the potential heights our 1sts can reach. No mention of this team is complete without acknowledging the coaching and support staff that provide the platform for this team to strive to reach its potential. Grant Weir as Head Coach provided great game day direction and was well assisted by Assistant Coaches; Gavin Young and Peter McNish. Gav has been and will continue to be a tireless worker (both in the tasks everyone sees as well as the work he does behind the scenes) committed to RAMS on field success. This includes everything from coordinating senior training sessions and team selections to coaching third and throwing signals on game day. Gav is an instrumental part of the RAMS 1sts and our entire baseball program. His influence should never be underestimated. Peter McNish is also a long time proven performer for NBC on and off the field. He is a very balanced individual and provides a steadying influence to a young group of players. Others include Jamie Young on stats, Terry Gould and Kaylene Pengelly on the pencils. Well done to all on a great season. Many thanks also to Dean Anglin for coaching the 2nds as well as getting the women's program off the ground. Reaching a Grand Final in your first season is a great achievement and hopefully a sound platform on which we can build and sustain a successful Women's program for many years to come. Thanks also to the ever reliable Roland Stott for stepping up and coaching the 3rds and Jordon Pengelly for coaching the 4ths again. Clubs such as ours simply do not function without Life Members of the calibre of Roland and Jordon continually stepping in and getting the job done.

24. 1STS STATISTICS Page 22 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report

25. 1STS STATISTICS Page 23 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Fielding Statistics PLAYERGAMESPOAEINNPBSBACCSAVG% Griffin Weir15--058000001.000 Jordan Young23--44812117.330310.984 Scot Malthouse13--02533100000.983 Dean Anglin24--01787400000.979 Tyson Foreman24--013011317142960.979 Dean Malthouse14--13520280110.965 Jeremy Young23--03519200000.964 Zac Seipolt18--0212100000.958 Troy Malthouse15--06916400000.955 Travis Bass23--01947400000.943 Matthew Lawman24--029761200000.897 Corey Wilson2--250100000.833 Cameron McNish1--201000001.000 Jack van Wyngaarden0--100000000.000 Ryan Balzer1--120000001.000 Ayden Ham1--000000000.000 Nick Cassell1--010000001.000 TOTALS 60225535196.343280.961

26. 2NDS COACHES REPORT Page 24 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Not really the season we would have hoped for in the twos. The return to Division One really pushed our team in a much stronger competition than the previous few years, in addition to that was the really young team we took into the season, having said that, the upshot is that those young players have now been exposed to a higher level of competition for a season and will only be stronger for it. We faced some big teams and in most games it was only one inning that let us down and cost us the game. Despite the end result of the year, I felt that we took some big steps forward in player development, young guns Josh Walshe, Jack van Wyngaarden and Corey Wilson had plenty of opportunities to gain experience at the top level, with two of the three playing a part in our Ones throughout the year too. The twos are always built of two extremes, the young guns and the veterans and this year was no different. It’s unusual however to welcome to the club a new player and have the slot straight into the veteran group, but in 2013/2014 that happened as Will Flood joined the club and slotted straight in behind the dish and was outstanding leader all year, with a batting average of.268 earing him the title of MVP. Leigh Barnes and Stephen Pengelly again played their roles for the twos, Pengelly throwing 24 2/3 Innings and Barnes winning the teams batting awards with a.296 batting average. Finally we should note the performance of Cameron McNish, 34 1/3 Innings with an ERA of 8.13 in a team that gave up almost four times the runs they scored should not be glossed over. Nishy continued to show his own personal growth managing his workload throughout the year between the requirements of the Ones and Twos. There is no doubt there is an upside to a tough year, our young players will only get stronger and the experience gained throughout this year will ensure that heading in to the new year they know how hard they have to work. Dean Anglin 2nds Coach

27. 2NDS STATISTICS Page 25 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report

28. 2NDS STATISTICS Page 26 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report

29. 2NDS STATISTICS Page 27 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Fielding Statistics PLAYERCPOAEFLD %DPSBACSBSBA&PBCI Ned Franklin83501.0000310.75000 Brad Russell88001.0000000.00000 Brent Tullio74301.0000310.75010 Mathew Lawman51401.000050 10 Griffin Weir54101.0000000.00000 Roland Stott55001.0000000.00000 Ryan Balzer32101.0000000.00000 Adam Simpson33001.0000000.00000 Stewart Jeffrey22001.0000000.00000 Sean Pengelly21101.0000000.00000 Christian Lackovic11001.0000000.00000 Leigh Barnes5245520.9622000.00000 Will Flood95751460.93703760.86071 Nick Cassell3027120.9331000.00000 Zac Seipolt1310210.9230000.00000 Joshua Walshe23111020.9130000.00000 Cameron McNish1911620.89501730.85000 Ayden Ham60431070.8830501.00010 Stephen Pengelly3892450.86821030.76900 Jack van Wyngaarden 571529130.7721000.00000 Corey Wilson2815580.7141201.00000 Peter Kilbourne32010.6670000.00000 Leslie Anglin124350.5830000.00000 Heath Grundy00000.000000 00 Daniel Mason00000.000000 00 Jordan Young00000.0000201.00000 Gavin Young00000.000000 00 TOTALS484303126550.88644270.85791 OPPONENTS452312117230.9498660.50050

30. 3RDS COACHES REPORT Page 28 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report The teams hitting was consistent, including some great individual performances with Brad Russell (best batter at.480), Sam Fraser and Dan Mason all batting over.400. Sam Fraser was the Most Valuable player: he played every game of the season on the Thirds; he had the most RBI, hits and doubles, was second in batting average, on base percentage and runs scored. Sam put in a credible performance at shortstop for the last half of the season and when the team was struggling for players he got his brother to play so that we could have a full team. Sean Pengelly was the best defensive player mostly for his work behind the plate, catching in half the games. The team’s poor record of 2 wins, 1 draw and 13 losses can be attributed to its inconsistent fielding and lack of a dominating pitcher for most of the season. Corey Wilson pitched well in the first 3 games before being promoted to the 2nds. Ned Franklin was our best pitcher but only played 5 games before returning to the US before Christmas. Ned had one heart breaking loss, when he threw a complete 9 innings game in the 2 hours with 10 Strikeouts for 2 runs with only 1 earned run for a 2 to 1 loss. In total 11 different pitchers graced the mound in the Thirds. Some of the fielding issues come from players playing in new positions and the corresponding learning curve. Also players playing in multiple positions had its issues, as there was never a consistent field. The thirds has become a “learning side “of young players, especially as they transition from playing juniors to seniors. There was the core 9 players that played most games however there were another 13 players that played at least one game and we started several games 1 player short. Thanks to Jen Mason for scoring. Roland Stott 3rds Coach

31. 3RDS STATISTICS Page 29 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report

32. 3RDS STATISTICS Page 30 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report

33. 4THS COACHES REPORT Page 31 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Back in Division One after a couple of seasons in Division Two with mostly the same team consisting of mature age players and a couple of younger new players to baseball. I felt that we might struggle against the depth of most of the other fourths teams. I was put at ease after a few games, with the inclusion of Brian Anderson (from the masters team) our pitching stocks were bolstered, and the improvement of the new players making us competitive in most games. As with all the sides this year we had a few missing on most occasions and I would like to personally thank all the players that filled in when required. I would like to name my two go to guys in Peter Cassell and Greg Griffith Who both umpired our home games and played if required in our away games. Jordon Pengelly 4ths Coach

34. 4THS STATISTICS Page 32 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report

35. 4THS STATISTICS Page 33 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report

36. WOMENS TEAM COACHES REPORT Page 34 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Three weeks prior to the start of the season we decided to merge our Division 3 women’s team with Essendon. The Bombers had 16 players for 2 teams and we had 5 or 6 players, so it made sense for us to combine forces and ensure that more girls could play baseball in 2013/2014. The decision proved to be a very good one, the combined team made it all the way to the Grand Final, eventually going down to a strong Bundoora team, but still showing the development that the girls had made in just one year. Our team was really even, spreading the load across many players. Being part of a division 3 competition we were able to do that and remain competitive in every game. Our battery was led by Laura Zurawel (18 Inn) and Megan Kelly (14 2/3 Inn), with young gun Phoebe Jakubzik (5 1/3 Inn) also hitting the mound in three games to continue her development. While with the bat there were some really impressive numbers, Kate Sherwell led the way with a.679 batting average including 5 2B and 2 3B hits. Laura Zurawel did the job both offensively and defensively with a.618 batting average, 21 hits include 8 doubles and 24 RBI’s making her the teams Most Valuable player in 2013/2014. Dean Anglin Women’s Coach

37. WOMENS TEAM STATISTICS Page 35 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Batting Statistics NameGPAABRH1B2B3BHRRBIBBSOHBPSBOBPSLGAVG Abbey Kelly2105840400840140.91.60.8 Kate Sherwell144828261912520211644200.81310.679 Laura Zurawel1240342321138002461080.6750.8530.618 Megan Kelly10352519141220081020210.6860.640.56 Phoebe Jakubzik12382918151320011960170.6320.5860.517 Jacinta Edwards276333000311020.5710.5 Lauren G142310100120000.7510.5 Courtney Foura154321001400100.61.250.5 Vibeke Pedersen132210100010030.66710.5 Michelle Graham 1031191087100 123070.6450.4740.421 Anna Radnay14453632151221014871230.5330.5280.417 Sarah Wong287322000111010.3750.286 Vikki Stimson274211000222100.5710.25 Jody Grant-Court1132221255000688280.4690.227 Sharon Gell155111000000010.2 Jenn Mason154630105500011157100.4570.167 Stel Contas10281592200041390390.5360.133 Nadine Harber3108211000222000.30.125 Hashani Fonseka82012511000385030.450.083 Mary Vanselow81513211000216110.20.077 Molly Dunham22200000000200000 TOTALS1543930819312292263113511966121580.5760.510.396 Pitching Statistics NameGWLSVIPBFBallStrPITRRAERERAERA9KHBBWHIP Courtney Foura100053036559171.447.2 5732 Michelle Graham 20002.671821446583310.13 4903.375 Megan Kelly600014.6796195162357291.981911.66 1216272.932 Nadine Harber1000323516311482.67412 4944.333 Jenn Mason100021529285752.5313.5 2243 Vibeke Pedersen 1000223175572126313.5 31015.5 Laura Zurawel900018119254232486422.333517.5 2328323.333 Phoebe Jakubzik 30005.33458790177224.131321.94 81584.313 Kate Sherwell30003306853121134.331236 3996 TOTALS900055.6739975878215401462.629615.52 64105883.467

38. WOMENS TEAM STATISTICS Page 36 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Fielding Statistics NameGEfERRPOASBACSDPTPPB% Courtney Foura10032000001 Sarah Wong20050000011 Sharon Gell20012000001 Stel Contas90060000001 Vibeke Pedersen10001000001 Anna Radnay141152684100310.983 Jenn Mason1577583000000.897 Nadine Harber31162300000.889 Megan Kelly10441210001000.846 Abbey Kelly21114000000.833 Hashani Fonseka71132000000.833 Kate Sherwell1444126001000.818 Laura Zurawel123338000000.786 Phoebe Jakubzik128814 800000.778 Michelle Graham113340000000.571 Jody Grant-Court115524000000.545 Molly Dunham10000000000 Mary Vanselow70000000000 Jacinta Edwards20000000000 Vikki Stimson20000000000 Lauren G10000000000 TOTALS1538 1826495120320.866

39. MASTERS TEAM COACHES REPORT Page 37 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report The MASTER RAMS have had another good season in 2013-2014. Again we had our core set of players that have fronted up for the past few seasons, and we also gained some up and coming youngsters for their rookie seasons. They were a bit inexperienced and wet behind the ears, but they learnt quickly and fitted in quite nicely with the team. On a Sad note, two of our players from last season passed away during the off-season. We send our heartfelt condolences to the families of Rick Dunstone and Clive Foskett. We played in the North West Division of Division 2, and comfortably sat third or fourth on the ladder all season. As I was travelling and missed a few games during the season, I shared the managing duties with the reliable Jordon Pengelly who as usual missed no games. Our Semi-Final was a cracker. We started with “Plan A” which had Angry Malthouse on the mound, - and what a clever plan it was!! Angry shut Fitzroy down decisively for 1 and two thirds innings before the “Malthouse Curse” struck and he pulled..….. wait for it……. “A Bum Muscle.” But it wasn’t all Bad news – We had all Invested $10 each in “Malt Lotto”, and Jordon Pengelly had the winning ticket of 1 and 2 thirds Innings and pocketed over $100. This meant we had to go to “Plan B” a little earlier than we wanted and Brando took the mound and capably held Fitzroy to 3 runs in 3 and a third Innings. We entered the 6 th Innings with a 4 to 3 lead, but due to Angry’s early demise we had already used up Brando’s quota of Innings. Time for “Plan C” and for the Manager to step in and finish the game quickly. And that I did!! – I managed to throw 3 batters for 3 two baggers and two runs crossed the plate to finish our season!! But again, as we do in the Masters, we had a refreshment “ after the game, smiled to ourselves that we can still take the field, and relaxed and waited for the next season to begin. The MASTER RAMS then sent a side to the Victorian Masters Championships at Ballarat, where we played in the Over 45’s Division 2. We managed to play all 5 games (which is an achievement in itself). We took the eventual runners up to extra Innings, however didn’t manage to win a game. Once again, we weren’t terribly upset about this, and enjoyed a refreshment or two.

40. MASTERS TEAM COACHES REPORT Page 38 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Many Thanks to these Old fellas that keep the Newport Name alive in the Old Man’s League. Darren AndersonBrian AndersonAlan BuntingSteven Cleary Trent CurwoodSam GalafaroGreg GriffithAnthony Howard Darren MalthousePaps ManikhotGraham NormanJordon Pengelly Benny Portelli JnrChad PorterPaul RosadoRoland Stott Lewis ThompsonPaul Walshe And for those additional players that joined in for the Vic Masters Peter CassellPeter EckhardtBill LeropoulosRicky Nicholson Rob VanceTony Wyatt And also, Many Thanks to Rachel Howard and Kaylene Pengelly who ensured the team had a Scorer all year; Karen and Terry Gould for scoring at the Vic Masters; Paul Walshe for having the ground in superb condition each week; Our Umpires when we needed them – Sean Pengelly, Peter Cassell, and Josh Walshe; and Our Catering specialists – Steven Cleary, Peter Cassell and Sam Galafaro. As in the Masters Ethos – we don’t play for Personnal Glory and Trophies, we would rather have a Beer, Whisky, Rum or Bourbon after the game – and so we cleverly combined these two thoughts for the presentation night – We gave away Cans as our trophies to the following recipients. - Best Pitching for One and 2/3 Innings before being Injured – Darren Malthouse - Best Defensive Game of the Year Award – Trent Curwood - Can’t field Slow Rollers Award – Chad Porter - Stealing the Home Run Fence Award – Jasmine & Holly Howard (Gratefully accepted by HONK) - Never to play Shortstop again Award – Chad Porter - Two At Bats for Two Double Plays in any given Semi-Final – Benny Portelli Jnr. - The Masters Ironman Award (or How to throw 400 pitches in 2 days) – Brian Anderson Alan G. Bunting Masters Representative

41. SENIOR TROPHY WINNERS Page 39 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report 1sts Batting Award – Troy Malthouse Best Defensive Player – Matt Lawman 2nds Most Valuable Player – Will Flood Batting Award – Leigh Barnes Best Defensive Player – Corey Wilson 3rds Most Valuable Player – Sam Fraser Batting Award – Brad Russell Best Defensive Player – Sean Pengelly 4ths Most Valuable Player – Brian Anderson Batting Award - Veegan McMaster Best Defensive Player – Damian Gallo Women's Most Valuable Player - Laura Zurawel Batting Award - Kate Sherwell Best Defensive Player - Anna Radnay Mackrell Trophy Best Player Clubman – Travis Bass Best Clubman Currie Memorial Trophy - Best Clubman - Anthony Howard On Field Awards Jack & Beryl Bunting Trophy – Most Valuable Player – Griffin Weir Reg Simpson Memorial Trophy – Best Junior Playing Seniors – Jack van Wyngaarden Most Improved Senior Player – Jeremy Young

42. SPONSORS OBTAINING AND RETAINING SPONSORS IS A CRUCIAL PART OF OUR CLUBS SUCCESS AND FUTURE, IF YOU KNOW OF ANY POTENTIAL SPONSOR FOR NBC, PLEASE SPEAK TO ANY COMMITTEE MEMBER. Page 40 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Wozza’s Bobcat & Concrete Service SSF Sheet Metal Alsco Linen TWM Imports SSF Sheetmetal

43. SPONSORS Page 41 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Brad Russell Painting Service Eddie the Butcher ZuZu Petals Graphic Artist & Stationary HillRoss Financial Management Cleary Plumbing Service Dr Drapes

44. VOSCA CRICKET - COORDINATORS REPORT Page 42 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report Before we started our second season of over 60’s cricket we were rocked by the tragic loss of one of our foundation players Graham Moss. To everyone’s credit we battled on and our new scoreboard has been named in his memory. We played 10 games for the season winning 4 but this is a minor factor in the overall concept of Over 60 cricket. The social aspect and enjoyment of getting out and playing far outweighs winning or losing. We had some good individual performances during the year with Colin Rich who has made a great recovery after heart surgery managed to be our top scorer with 226 runs and also took 11 wickets. Other batsmen to do well were Ray Matters 217 runs, Colin Richardson 199 and John Klidomitis 160. A special mention to David Malthouse who is 72 years old and runs as quick as any of us between the wickets and is keen to continue next season. During the year we had 4 new players Greg Griffith, Graeme Lechte, Laurie Krepp and Brian Harvey. The complete list of players 15 in all were as follows: Storm ArnottPeter CassellColin RichardsonJohn RogersRay Matters David MalthouseTed SedgmanGraeme LechteStuart CrossmanRob Ryan Greg GriffithLaurie KreppBrian HarveyColin RichJohn Klidomitis. As you can see our numbers are starting to build and we are all looking forward to next season. Peter Cassell Over 60 Cricket Co-ordinator

45. ACTIVITIES MANAGERS REPORT Page 43 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report The season was another good one for events at the RAM-DOME highlighted by the $5000 Night hosted by Honk and Chad. A new event, using a similar format to the $2000 draw from previous years, saw 80 club members and friends enjoy a veritable feast. As is the custom at all RAMS events a raffle was held and, as usual, was greatly supported by club members. Other events over the 2013/14 season included: Christmas function Weekly Tuesday night meals hosted by our in house chef: Karen “Michelin Five Star” van Wyngaarden Life Members Day Two Poker Nights Junior movie nights Chocolate Drive Junior Presentation Senior Presentation Bunnings BBQ Post junior grand finals BBQ Thank you to all those who volunteered their time to either help out or run an event this year, your efforts are greatly appreciated. If you have an idea for a function please see the activities manager. As with all club initiatives the more volunteers and ideas the better for club revenue and the well-being of those on the committee. Jacinta Edwards Activities Manager

46. PIZZA TRAIN SPONSORSHIP Page 44 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report LARGE PIZZA ONLY $5 Newport Baseball Club was proud to once again welcome Pizza Train as a club sponsor for the 4 th consecutive year. Since setting up shop in Mason Street, Pizza Train has become heavily involved in local community groups including NBC. For the 2013/14 season Pizza Train provided NBC with a large number of large pizza vouchers that we would then sell for $5 each to our members who would simply take the voucher to Pizza Train and pick up their pizza. This process not only enables NBC members to get a large pizza for $5 (normally $12) but also allows Pizza Train to track how effective their community involvement is. THE IMPORTANT THING NOW IS THAT OUR MEMBERS PURCHASE THE VOUCHERS WHICH PROVIDES STRAIGHT PROFIT TO THE CLUB AS WELL AS SUPPORTING A COMMUNITY MINDED LOCAL BUSINESS. VOUCHERS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE CANTEEN OR BAR.

47. Page 45 Newport Baseball Club 2013/2014 Annual Report CONCLUSION Once again as another year passes at NBC we reflect on the on and off field achievements of individuals, junior and senior teams, as well as the club as a whole. Over the 2013/14 season over 180 Junior, Senior, Women, Masters & Over 60 players took the field to enjoy playing t-ball, baseball or cricket, whilst this was occurring a new Committee of Management of seven people were overseeing the running of the club, ably assisted by a mountain of volunteers undertaking all the roles necessary to keep the wheels turning and make our NBC the great place it is to be part of. So much has been written by each of the office bearers in this report and collectively it shows what a strong position NBC is now in on and off the field, 86 years after the doors opened. The past 12 months has seen a focus on not only dealing with the day to day issues, but also to identify the issues around the corner and develop a strategy to deal with them. In my first year as Secretary it has been a steep learning curve being more involved in the administrative and business side of the club so I would like to acknowledge the work that has been done in the years past as well as the past year. I would like to thank all those who have assisted me over the past 12 months, it has been a great ride and one that only recently have I felt truly comfortable in. The Committee of the past 12 months have put in an amazing amount of hours at the club and probably twice as much away from it, we should be proud of what we have done and I thank each member for your efforts in your respective portfolio, as well as the way we have all crossed over to assist each other along the way, a true team effort. On a personal note my world was rocked just before the start of the season with the passing of my father. Over his last 18 months we still talked about the club, its history and its future. He always showed great passion for NBC and gave me the confidence to take on the role of secretary. One of the many things that assisted in the grieving process was the support of so many people at NBC and the way Dad was honored on opening day. Thank you one and all. The growth and improvements of the past 12 months will continue and for that there are even more tasks that need doing, many of these tasks are not fun, glamorous or even obvious to others, yet they must be done. If everyone was able to ask themselves: what have I done over the past 12 months and what can I do in the future? NBC is our club for our enjoyment and many hands make light work, so pitch in and enjoy the rewards. There is a lot that has been covered throughout this report: our much improved financial position, increase in fundraising, increase in function attendance, record numbers of meals served on Tuesday nights, increase in junior numbers, increase in junior coaches, a strong showing in Division 1 - albeit we need to increase our senior numbers, women's team finishing runners up in the first year of the program since the mid 1990's, significant improvements to infrastructure and facilities, the continued honouring of Bob Milne's legacy and the list just keeps going. I am not going to name individuals as I will surely forget someone, but also no one does what they do for the pat on the back, they do it for NBC, that's what makes our club so great. Paul Walshe Club Secretary