Christine first became involved in football as a child. Christine’s father was a referee and her brother also played football. Saturdays in winter were spent watching her brother’s match in the morning and her father’s matches in the afternoon. Christine also spent a couple of years as a referee.
Christine renewed her association with football when her son began to play for Mount Colah Football Club in the Under 8s. She has been involved with the club ever since and was honoured with Life Membership with Mount Colah Football Club in 2006. Christine has held various positions on the committee of the club since 1999 including Registrar, Secretary and President. Christine is the current Secretary of the Mount Colah Football Club (2023). It would be unusual not to see Christine at one of the Mount Colah canteens in the winter months. Her commitment to Mount Colah Football Club has been outstanding.
Christine started volunteering for the Ku-ring-gai District Soccer Association (KDSA now Northern Suburbs Football Association (NSFA)) in 2001 when she filled a casual vacancy on the Women/Girls Committee as Registrar/Recorder and again filled the position in 2002. In 2002 Christine assumed the role the Women/Girls Football Chair when the Chair at the time (Ennis Barnes) resigned during the season due to business commitments, a role she would hold until 2006. Christine returned to that position in 2010 and continued in the role for 2011. During her time as Women’s Chair, Christine also attended both the All Age Committee and Junior Football Committee meetings. Christine states that she did this “to ensure that decisions made would also be reflected equitably within the Women’s and Girls football area”.
Highlights during Christine’s years with the Women’s Football Committee were the introduction of new age groups for women and girls. The first girls-only non-competition football was started in 2004, beginning with Under 9 Girls. In 2005, the Committee introduced the Women’s Over 30 Competition (which is now known as Women’s Over 35s). During Christine’s time as the Women/Girls Football Chair, there was a considerable growth in female player numbers. Christine’s contribution to Women’s/Girls football within the NSFA has been outstanding.
For many years Christine contributed to the Junior Football Committee as minute taker and other roles until the committee system changed in 2018 when most Committees were disbanded. Notably, in 2012 Christine was the Junior Football Registrar and Recorder, and in 2013 was the joint Chair on the Junior Football Committee. Christine also was minute taker for many All Age Committee meetings.
In 2013, Christine was presented with a FOXTEL A-League Community All Stars Award for her dedication to football. As part of the award, the Mount Colah Football Club benefited by having a Coaching Clinic for 25 Mount Colah players who enjoyed 90 minutes of penalty shootouts, 2v2 plays and small sided games run by experienced coaching staff. Christine also attended a dinner with the Foxtel A-League All Stars prior to their match against Manchester United.
In 2024 Christine was honoured with a Football NSW State Award in recognition of outstanding service rendered to the promotion and development of football in the state of New South Wales.
Christine was honoured with life membership of the NSFA in 2011.
We thank Christine for her lifelong service to Mount Colah Football Club, Girls and Women’s Football within the KDSA and NSFA.