Innumerable players, officials and supporters throughout the Goulburn Valley recognised Lucy Scott’s face, such was her tireless dedication to sport.
The Goulburn Valley sporting scene has flourished largely off the work of behind-the-scenes contributors like Scott, who applied herself to clubs for half-a-century.
Her passing on February 9, at the age of 76, came five weeks after the death of her also-revered husband Frank.
Rightfully, Lucy has received the same acknowledgment.
Having raised 10 children, it naturally took little time for Lucy to become an organisational whiz, assisting with the clubs her kids would join.
Across the years of faithful service, most prominently in cricket at Central Park-St Brendan’s, Lucy would accumulate six life memberships among a wealth of accolades.
Capping her achievements, she was inducted into the Greater Shepparton Sports Hall of Fame alongside her lifelong companion in 2019.
Of their bond, Hall of Fame committee member Don Kilgour said it best: “They did sport together.”
“Lucy was a special lady because she was always involved in sport,’’ Kilgour said.
“She was one of those people who, wherever you looked, always did the job to an incredible ability.
“She was such that the committee running the Hall of Fame said, ‘This lady needs to be honoured’.
“There are very few women who have ever contributed to sport in Shepparton as much as Lucy Scott.”
Scott’s glittering list of honours goes on, having been recognised by Cricket Victoria with an outstanding volunteer award.
She would later receive a Recognition of Service medallion from the Victorian Country Football League, which served as a precursor for regional football governance to the current system.
With that said, as Central Park president Darryl Butcher said, it’s not the accolades for which clubs will most fondly remember Lucy.
“Her dedication to making life easier for other people in all the organisations she was involved with was something to behold,” Butcher said.
“She made sure she did everything right in cricket and football.
“Her devotion to everything she did was remarkable; you don’t do something unless you do it absolutely properly, and that was Lucy to a tee.
“She did everything she could to support other people.”
Her legacy at Central Park was well-established, but she took on numerous roles at Cricket Shepparton throughout her tenure.
Lucy spent two years as a secretary there, as well as scoring for 10 years and racking up two decades as its official statistician.
“She was a scorer and statistican at Central Park too, which she was brilliant at, and I will miss her greatly in that regard,” Butcher said.
“Anytime I needed stats, they were delivered in a perfect format.”
She certainly had plenty to contribute at Shepparton United Football Netball Club, as did her children over time.
Her origins within the Demons organisation were very early; she first ingratiated into the club environment in childhood while her father worked as a boot studder there.
In the early 2000s, Lucy would serve as treasurer for five years while acting as secretary for the club’s Ladies Committee.
President Rebecca Monk paid her respects to Lucy as a female figure to admire.
“For as long as I’ve been at the club, 15 years now, Lucy and Frank were synonymous with United,” Monk said.
“She’s been a big figure in helping out and she was a great administrator.
“As a female president, knowing she’s been in administrative roles, she was a big support to me and I knew I could talk respectfully to her about admin aspects.
“It was wonderful to have her as an ally in my role.”
Naturally, Frank and Lucy’s dynamic played into their duties, usually to the delight of those around them.
They ultimately each shone differently, though, and Monk was thankful for Lucy’s dedicated service to the Demons.
“My favourite conversation was last year, where I recommended that they each be our number one ticket holders for 2023; Lucy was thrilled,” Monk said.
“She was also cheeky and could keep Frank and everyone else in line.
“They greatly respected each other and it’s a testament to the family.
“She just had so many qualities that I think we should all look to in what we do every day.
“She was hard-working, but respectful and kind.”
There’s one award that Lucy can lay claim to across the area that comes with no medal, plaque or certificate, though.
An award nearest to the playing group’s hearts during the years, as outlined by Butcher.
“All the cricketers at Central Park would agree that Lucy made the best scones, jam and cream going around,” Butcher said.
“Brendan Scott would sometimes bring them around, but we always knew they came from Lucy.
“She was a mum and she was devoted to making life easy and enjoyable for all the people she was involved with.”