It's with sadness that we let members know about the passing of Mark Nealon - one of the original founders of the Fairy Meadow Hockey Club, Treasurer 1978-1985, President 1984-1985 and Life Member.

Mark Nealon & Bill Body back in the day

Mark with grandson Dean Nealon - current 1st grade Coach

REFLECTIONS ON THE EARLY DAYS OF FAIRY MEADOW HOCKEY BY MARK NEALON

Fairy Meadow had a junior hockey club organised by William Body who was, in my opinion, the initial President/Secretary/ Treasurer/Coach of the Club. The junior club ran on a minimal financial budget. Playing fees were collected from the children but I am sure that expenses were greater than revenue and Bill would have financed the difference. The need was there to help Bill and a couple of parents, including myself, offered help.

The club was very successful in competition and when the juniors reached the senior age there was no senior club available and players were lost to other clubs. We decided to form a senior club.

A meeting was arranged and held at the residence of Brian Swan in Fairy Meadow. In attendance was Bill Body (Initial President), Brian Swan (Secretary), Mark Nealon (Treasurer) and Bruce Wilkinson (Observer). Bruce was a member of the Master Builders Club.

At the initial meeting we decided to:

1. Enter a team in the 2nd grade men’s competition
2. Wear team colours of "bright orange/black"
3. Have the team logo as a "falcon".

The original colours of the junior club were "yellow and black" and a change was necessary as Albion Park Club then wore these colours and the association requested we play in different colours. Orange and black were the closest we could find to the original colours.

Many players and parents assisted in the running of the club and special mention must be made of the Nikolich family and Barry Harper (Junior Co-ordinator) who with others were the backbone of the operation of the club in the early years and laid the foundations for the good work by Stuart Weeks and Gary Wilsmore and others in future years.

The club was and is supported by many families. This gave the club the status of a family group and to this day the club enjoys a reputation for fair play and good conduct.

Many difficulties were experienced in the early years with finance and facilities. Brian Swan bought shirts, badges and equipment and we had no funds in the bank. Then came the "chook raffle" at the Oxford Hotel each Friday night and the fundraising activities at the Nikolich residence - lamingtons and donuts everywhere. And the club eventually paid its way.

We used to hand mow the fields as the council would not cut the grass low enough and we would mark the sidelines with lime. Other activities were to install a watering system and training lights at Dalton Park. Special thanks to Stuart Weeks and Ray Tolhurst for the lighting project.