Club Champion: The Heartbeat of the Imperials

One of the Colac region’s most committed volunteers has kept her club running smoothly.

By Ben Andonoudis

Every community sporting club has someone who quietly keeps everything running. While players take the court and supporters cheer from the sidelines, they're behind the scenes making sure every weekend comes together. At Colac Imperials Football Netball Club, that person is Emily Davis.

Davis has been at the club for over two decades and has remained a constant presence. Her time at the club has seen her play upwards of 300 games and serve multiple roles at the club including netball president and treasurer.

For Colac Imperials President Carl Winchcomb, Davis’ love for the Imperials has been truly special.

“Emily has gone above and beyond for our club now for the best part of 20 years,” Winchcomb said.

And that is a feeling shared by many around the club.

“Everyone really respects her and respects the job that she does for the club, because everyone knows just how big of a job it is,” Winchcomb said.

Like many country footballers and netballers, Davis’ time at the Imperials started with the lure of playing with friends. What began as playing alongside friends soon became something much bigger. Davis has now made the club her home and become one of the club’s most trusted volunteers.

One of Davis’ hardest tasks every week is co-ordinating the club canteen. Any local footy fan knows that the canteen is the centre of any community sporting club and ensuring that it runs without any hiccups is essential to keeping the fans happy. It is a job that Davis takes great pride in.

“You walk in there on a Thursday night or a Saturday at a home game and you know everything's just going to go smoothly because she's got everything organised,” Winchcomb said.

Long before the players and supporters turn up, Davis is there putting in the work to allow everyone to enjoy their day. She can be found at the club for hours on end throughout the week, doing the jobs that need to be done. At times, volunteering at the Colac Imperials FNC is a second job for Davis.

“She's probably pushing up to 20, 25 hours a week some weeks,” Winchcomb said.

And if all that is not enough, the last two seasons have seen Davis take on another role. She passes on her playing and coaching knowledge to the Imperials’ Under 13 netballers, guiding the club’s future A grade netballers.

Davis’ dedication to the Imperials makes her an integral part of the club.

“She should be very hard to replace,”  Winchcomb said.

Community clubs are built on people willing to give more than they're asked. For more than 20 years, Emily Davis has done exactly that. Whether she's balancing the books, serving meals from the canteen, mentoring young netballers or simply lending a hand wherever it's needed, her impact stretches far beyond the roles she holds.

At Colac Imperials, she's more than a volunteer, she's part of the club's identity.

That's what makes her a Female Club Champion.