2024 Hostplus SANFL Volunteer of the Year Finalist – Leigh Thredgold

By JORDAN ROUTLEY

Leigh Thredgold is still as passionate about the Kangarilla Football Club as he was the first day he pulled on the famous double blue jumper more than 20 years ago.

Joining the club as a junior in 2000, Thredgold went on to play over 200 senior games and earned player life membership in 2018 before moving straight into administration work.

He has held a multitude of roles and responsibilities since hanging up the boots, serving as president, secretary and now the club’s treasurer.

“I think I had just reached my limit playing-wise and I think the commitment of training twice a week and playing plus the volunteer stuff was getting a lot, but I was really keen to stay involved and help the club achieve the success it wanted,” Thredgold said.

Thredgold’s commitment to helping the Double Blues succeed is born of a desire to repay the club that gave him his start and launched a hugely successful career.

“It goes back to the opportunity they gave me and the commitment that I was shown and I wanted to give back as much as I could,” Thredgold said.

“I have always had a want to make the place as good as it could be and it’s about getting it back to a good amount of success, so I have just taken on roles that need doing.”

As treasurer of the club during the Covid pandemic, Thredgold counts the successful navigation of this period as one of the club’s biggest achievements during his time at the Double Blues.

“It was an interesting one the Covid years, because when footy restarted in 2020 we actually did quite well financially, but the following couple of years when people could start venturing outside the state was when we struggled a bit,” he said.

“It was just a big recalibration from the whole club. I’m a big process person so we instigated things like more formal budgets and lifting certain parts of the club to generate more income, which has been really fruitful the past couple of years.”

On a personal note, receiving player life membership came as a great honour for Thredgold, although he remains characteristically humble about the achievement.

“I was very honoured to receive that in recognition of the playing contribution, but I am equally as proud of all the effort I have put in off the field,” he said.

After nearly 25 years of continuous service at Kangarilla, Thredgold is now contemplating a step back from official duties but is confident the club is heading in the right direction.

“I think we are really well set up and everything on the field is ticking along really nicely with good participation numbers, so if I do step away it is well set up to continue succeeding into the future,” Thredgold said.

Leigh is one of seven finalists for the 2024 Hostplus SANFL Volunteer of the Year Award, with the winner to be announced at the annual SANFL Community Volunteers Awards Night at Adelaide Oval on Friday, 11 October.