Their year started with a devastating fire and ended with them taking out a bit of silverware with the prime minister's name on it.
The Tuggeranong Valley Australian Football Netball Club this week was announced winner of the 2023 Prime Minister's Cup for junior club of the year from AFL Canberra.
It was the first time the club has won the award since its latest incarnation, as an amalgamation of the Tuggeranong Lions, Hawks, Swans and Bulldogs clubs in 2020.
Club president Kellie Hogan said it was the perfect way to end a challenging year which started with a fire that destroyed all its junior kit.
"To say how incredibly proud of our community I am does not even begin to capture it," she said.
"When you factor in how our season started, with losing all of our junior gear in a fire at Gordon, to having to deal with replacing uniforms, the loss of storage and training facilities, it is just incredible to be recognised by AFL Canberra on what has been a really challenging yet very successful season."
The club's junior director Amanda Lowe accepted the award at a reception at the Southern Cross Club in Phillip on Thursday night.
"It was an amazing achievement," she said.
"The club has really prioritised our playing and the kids and make sure they're all out having fun. And the effort's shown with achievements like this."
Three of the club's players also won best and fairest awards for their age group: Isaac Owusu and Aiden Henderson (Under 14 Mixed) and Jesse Borghouts (Under 15 Boys).
Morgan Stevens had also been named as an All Australian in U15 Girls School Sports and the club has three teams in junior grand finals this weekend.
The club has 450 juniors and has added netball to its ranks.
"We are now the third largest AFL club in Canberra with more growth still to come," Mrs Hogan said.
The club of the year is based on everything from administration to sportsmanship to junior development programs and on-field performance.
"Most importantly though, we rely so heavily on our volunteers who give their time so tirelessly to make our junior program so amazing," Mrs Hogan said.
"Our board has been outstanding this year with everything we've had to face. Amanda has done a fantastic job as junior director and simply put, it takes a village to provide a safe, fun, inclusive environment for our players."
The McNamara siblings - Faith, 16; Hope, 14; and Jacob, 13 - all play for the club, saying they enjoyed the community spirit.
"It brings everyone together," Faith said.
Seven-year-old Elijah Lowe said the best thing about playing for the club was "kicking goals".
The Prime Minister's Cup was first awarded, to Queanbeyan, in 1983, when Bob Hawke was prime minister.
No one seems to remember why it is still called the Prime Minister's Cup, but Tuggeranong Valley says there is an open invitation for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to brave the kangaroos of Greenway Oval and present the cup to the juniors in person. (Or at the juniors' presentation in October.)
In the other honours from AFL Canberra, Eastlake Demons won the 2023 Junior Club Media Award.
The 2023 Best and Fairest awards went to:
- Under 11 Mixed: Joseph Geyson, Marist College
- Under 12 Mixed: Hayden Ellis, Queanbeyan Tigers
- Under 12 Girls: Elise Hamilton, Magpies Juniors
- Under 13 Mixed: William Simpson, Magpies Juniors and Alexander Maher, Marist College
- Under 14 Mixed: Isaac Owusu, Tuggeranong Valley and Aiden Henderson, Tuggeranong Valley
- Under 14 Girls: Elena Patton, Magpies Juniors
- Under 15 Boys: Jesse Borghouts, Tuggeranong Valley
- Under 16 Girls: Billie Hamilton, Ainslie Tricolours
- Under 17 Boys: Harry McMaster, Belconnen Cats
