“It’s one of those beautiful places that really fills your cup.”
Jack Hicks used the phrase to describe a little destination 10km north of Shepparton’s centre known as Congupna Football Netball Club.
The Road’s president is proud of his small slice of sporting utopia and so are most — especially three figures within the club.
Congupna A-grade playing co-coach Sophie Sidebottom is one of a trio of milestone makers for The Road, notching her 300th club game in red against Moama this weekend.
A committee member of nearly a decade and one who now stands alongside her mum Wendy as a mentor of the club’s top netball side, Sidebottom is a key cog in the Congupna machine, according to Hicks.
“She’s done a remarkable job in claiming her own identity, currently coaching that senior playing group and still playing along with her teammates, so that’s been a fantastic achievement,” Hicks said.
“It’s her first year doing that and you can see the transition that will happen eventually over the years where she will become a supreme coach.
“At this stage she is still very much contributing to that A-grade netball side and she’s definitely hungry for this group to have success into the future with some premierships going down the track.
“She’s one of those girls that you just really love to have around the club because she’ll fill in any role and she’s very passionate about the club too.
“(She’s) a fantastic contributor and (we’re) definitely looking forward to celebrating her milestone this weekend.’’
Sidebottom was not set to be alone in her quest for 300 on Saturday.
On the football oval, Mitchell Bek was on track to match Sidebottom as the three-time reserves best-and-fairest and premiership winner readied to reach the triple ton against the Magpies, but injury has postponed him hitting the mark.
Regardless, Hicks had nothing but niceties reserved for the dedicated Congupna servant.
“Overall with the three milestones this week, they’re all leaders and Mitch Bek is definitely one of them,” Hicks said.
“The last few years have been quite significant for Mitchell; he’s been a very committed senior player ranging between senior and reserve football, and when he comes back to play reserve grade, he is the leader and is now captain of that group.
“Whenever he is called up to that senior group they always know what they’re going to get from him.
“He goes up there and gives it his all and they can bank on that he plays a role for them. He’s very flexible in that regard and just loves the club.”
Rounding out The Road’s milestone makers is B-grade netball stalwart Emma McColl, who is just as important off the court as she is on it.
Hicks described her as a “future leader of the club” and, though while still young, McColl’s red-letter day is a testament to her service.
“She’s now in the senior ranks and is a fantastic leader on and off the ground,” Hicks said.
“She’s our junior development officer and she’s very passionate about the junior welfare as those were her footsteps in the early days.
“She gives it her all on the netball court ... she’s very passionate about what she does. Her B-grade side over the last couple of years have been one of the better performers out of our netball teams as well.
“It’s a duality with most of these people — they really give it their all on the court and field and do replicate it off it because they are just passionate about Congupna in general.”
Why do people like McColl, Beks, and Sidebottom stick around for so long?
Even those who’ve recently reached significant game numbers for the club, including Curtley Allen (250), Tate Mifka (250) and Joel Shannon (200)?
According to Hicks, Congupna places a particular onus on the “keep factor”, ensuring the right people are brought into the club, which filters right through from top to bottom.
“They know it’s a safe place, they know it’s a community where if something’s hard for them during the week, they can literally leave that at the front gate of Congupna,” Hicks said.
“It’s a stress relief, it’s somewhere to be happy, it’s somewhere to get among the community, it’s somewhere to know that either you’re safe or your family as an extension is safe and it’s really rich in that regard.”
Hicks knows the club has given people a new lease on life.
After all, he’s one of them.
So with another bumper weekend at the club nearly here, Hicks had one message left for all at The Road.
“We’re just wishing every player out there to have a great game this weekend and a special mention to the milestone people.”