Taroona FC would like to thank Mark Painter (aka Sparky) for his incredible contribution to the club over the past 4 years as Club President, having taken the reigns from Jordan Wright early in 2019.
Sparky says, "The most rewarding achievement [of being Club President] was getting the club rooms built as they have provided a quality home for the Club and facilitated lots of Club activity, including hosting opposition teams, training sessions, social events and a return to the WSL. It’s also been great to witness the continued growth of the Club’s youth development program and the success of the senior men’s team.
[Taroona FC] is a great club is one where everyone involved finds a way to contribute to its success. We are fortunate to have a solid core of volunteers although we could always use more. No Club is perfect, but good clubs are ones where members see weaknesses as opportunities to pitch in and help the Club improve.
Sam brings many skills to the role of President. He has gained the respect of his teammates and is well regarded within the football community. Importantly, Sam is a strategic thinker who works well with people and is prepared to tackle issued head on."
And with that being said, Taroona FC would like to welcome our new Club President: Sam Johnson!
Q&A With Sam
How long have you been involved with Taroona FC?
I’ve spent a good 10 years as a member of Taroona FC and the club has grown astronomically over that time. I started playing at Taroona FC in 2008, left in 2011 to play at Glenorchy Knights Croatia and returned back to Taroona FC in 2015. I joined the Taroona FC’s committee in 2020.
Why have you taken on this role?
It would be the same reason why I joined the Committee – as a player we take a lot from the club and I thought it was time I gave back to a Club that has given me so much.
What are you looking forward to and hoping to achieve in 2023 and beyond?
I’m hoping that as a collective, we can continue to build on the foundations and steer the Club into a stronger position, on and off the field.
I’m looking forward to meeting as many TFC members/supporters as possible, so when you see me around Kelvedon, at Club events, and at games feel free to come up and say "Hi".
Hear more from Sam below:
"I feel privileged to be taking on the role of President of Taroona Football Club.
Firstly I would like to congratulate Mark Painter (Sparky), for his 4 years of service to Taroona FC – amazing effort. I would also like to thank our outgoing committee members, who served the Club for several years - Tracey Winterbottom (Registrar), Emma Reside (Treasurer), Luke Warrener (Vice President).
On that note, I am thrilled to announce new members - Fabian Natoli (Treasurer) and Tash Lowry (Registrar). I am equally excited that Janette Power (Secretary), Yolanda Loh, Shelagh Curtain and Miriam O’Neil have all decided to commit to another year.
We are still looking for a few more people to join the Committee, so if you are interested please reach out to me at president@taroonafc.org or to any of the other members – it is important that we all do our bit!
It has been a busy off season in gearing up for a successful 2023. Our Youth development program is really finding its feet, supporting players in achieving their goals and with the support from Riley Pitchford (Skills Training Program Manager) and Holly Ayton (Head of Youth & Junior Development) they are in great hands. I look forward to seeing how our Senior teams perform in 2023, with our WSL team now under the guidance of Karen Wills and our Men’s team under the guidance of Llewyn Tubb.
2022 was a tough year for our Women’s program, but with Karen back at the helm for season 2023, I am eager to see what the year will bring. While the year had been good for our Senior Men’s team, seeing them finish 2nd place, the upcoming season is gearing up to be an exciting one. I would also like to announce that Holly-Lace Ayton will be our Technical Director for Season 2023!!"
Thank you Sam for stepping up to the helm, we're looking forward to seeing where you steer the Pirate Ship in 2023.