In this job you tend to go to a lot of launches, ceremonies and openings – and sometimes they can be pretty stock standard and all blend into each other, such is their monotonous nature and style.
Last Thursday night I had the great honour of attending the season launch of the Penrith Emus, who do battle in their first Shute Shield rugby union match of the season this weekend.
Now for those who aren’t quite up to date on their sporting background, the Emus aren’t one of the glamour clubs of rugby union and indeed they’re a poor cousin to most of the sporting outfits in the Penrith region.
The club relies on volunteers, hard working committee members and loyal family members of players and officials to ensure they can run out onto the field each and every week.
To say that the club runs on the smell of an oily rag would be to over-estimate the reality.
But last Thursday night you got the sense that it mattered little.
This is a club that is creating a new culture; one built on the word “family” and it hopes it will create an era for the Emus that at least makes them competitive and worthy of their spot in the Shute Shield.
With such a high rate of Polynesian players, having a family atmosphere is critical, and you could tell from the celebrations last Thursday that the concept is working well in its early stages.
No, there was no red carpet.
Yes, the free drinks suddenly stopped half way through and became $5 each (Derek Gow, I owe you a beer for getting me out of that uncomfortable bind!) and there was almost a scandal when it came to the big raffle prize of the night.
The launch was held at the Emus’ home ground in Cranebrook, and the air conditioning was, well, there was no air conditioning.
But what there was plenty of was smiles, and hope.
Head coach Sateki Tuipulotu spoke about stripping the club right back, and starting from scratch.
“It’s not only about rugby, it’s about life in general as well,” he said.
“We have adopted now the family culture. This involves everyone from babies, kids, teenagers, adults and elders.
“At the club we have about 85 per cent Polynesians and they don’t come as individuals, they come as packages, and we need to cater for this.
“When you have the support of your family and friends, it gives you satisfaction, knowing that they support you 100 per cent.”
The club has brought organisations like Richmond TAFE on board, so it can help with the educational needs of both players and relatives.
They’ve found themselves a marketing manager in the very capable Shane Skeen, who I believe was solely responsible for the raffle debacle mentioned earlier.
I’ve been around Penrith for most of my life and have known of the Emus, mainly through my job, for the best part of a decade.
Every year, someone will come up to you and tell you why something has changed this year, and why it’ll be different this season. Until now, it’s been very hard to believe that it was anything more than just words and pipedreams.
Now though, there seems to be some very real direction, and much of the credit must go to Jim Hook, whose tireless effort keeps the Emus spirit alive.
As much as they would like to be fodder for an inspirational sporting film, nobody is expecting miracles out at Andrews Road this year.
“The job is certainly not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” coach Teki said (everyone else seems to call him that, so I’m in).
“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but those little steps that everyone takes will benefit not only the players now, but rugby in the west in general.
“This is the beginning of a new era. We can only be happy in the future to leave a legacy of a family culture.”
As we celebrate the success of the Wanderers, and ponder the performances of the Panthers, it is what happens at those sports that don’t end up on the back page every week that we should all be taking notice of, because in many ways, they work the hardest.
There may not be many wins out at Andrews Road this year.
In fact, the bottom of the table may well be where the Emus end up again.
But there’s a hell of a lot of spirit and determination. And that must count for something.
