Miriam blazes a trail as Southern Eagles President

By PETER ARGENT

A pioneer in the football administration space on the Yorke Peninsula, Miriam Honner is the first female president in both the club’s history and across the breadth of greater Yorke Peninsula football.

A mother of four teenage boys Ben (18), Joe (17), Leo (14) and Fred (12), Honner’s family boasts a strong administration heritage on the Southern Yorke Peninsula (SYP).

Her husband, Joe’s grandfather, Joseph Francis ‘JF’ Honner is a former president of the now amalgamated SYP Football League from 1950s to 1960s.

“I grew up with three older brothers, so Australian Rules was definitely something I was exposed to, but once my sons started Auskick, that was my first connection to footy on the YP,” Miriam Honner explained to SANFL.com.au

“I grew up in Crafers and had been a netballer from an early age; with the Stirling East and Piccadilly clubs, playing at wing attack and wing defence and so when I came to the YP I played netball for the Southern Eagles for two seasons before having the boys.

“I got some sage advice from another mum who had raised good young men, suggesting good communication and to get interested in what your boys are interested in. So I volunteered and helped wherever I could.

“I was thrown in the deep end my first year of being on the committee by taking up the role of junior delegate to the YP association for the Southern Eagles club.

“Not coming from a football background, I was initially apprehensive about taking on the president role. But any type of volunteering is only going to benefit all parties.

“Overall, the feedback has been positive and I had total support of the committee when I put my hand up.”

Honner was voted into the role of President at the Annual General Meeting in November after her initial grounding as part of the management committee of the Southern Eagles Football and Netball Club for the previous three years.

Her role as Assistant Principal at St Columba’s Memorial School, in Yorketown, has helped prepare her for the responsibilities of this important community role.

“I see this as an opportunity to continue to serve the club albeit in a different way,” Honner said.

“It’s simply another role within the club, and one I can utilise my skillset.

“My role as assistant principal at the school helps me form relationships with families, students and staff and be part of the process of helping to make important decisions, and these are skills also needed in the role of president.

“I like to think I am approachable, considerate, enthusiastic and welcoming.

“The strong connection between the school and the club community made stepping into the role feel natural.

“Being in the school environment certainly helped me say yes to the President role.

“There are lots of families that are part of both the school and the football and netball club community.

“I think that connection is good for their physical and mental health as well as helping to build community on a wider scale.”

Honner has also highlighted that maintaining the club’s community focus will remain a priority.

“The past three years while I’ve been on the committee, we have worked hard on building a welcoming club that has a focus on excellence both on and off the field,” Honner continued.

“We definitely want to keep growing in this area.

“I think cohesion between our management committee, and football and netball sub-committees, and all our coaches and team managers is important — they are the people players and families look to first.

“They are heavily involved with the teams and the club in general, and I believe that a continued emphasis on forming strong relationships and cohesion will only benefit the club.”

Honner is also keen to strengthen the club’s on-field competitiveness, after the Eagles finished fifth in 2024 and missed finals in the 2025 campaign.

“We have been able to sign some excellent recruits for the 2026 season, many of them locals, so it is very exciting to see what the season may bring,” she said.

“A number of these are the current generation of success football families from the district, including the Tape boys and dual sporting talent James Reuther, whose dad and uncle were successful a generation ago.

“Mark Tilbrook, in charge of our recruitment, has worked hard over the off-season.

“Our netball teams are also looking highly competitive, with some strong recruits as well and we are hoping to be extremely competitive across all grades.

“Overall, we are excited about this 2026 season and cannot wait to see our players out on the court and oval and to see our volunteers and supporters out cheering them on.”

The first football was played on the ‘Leg’ back in the 1870s.

Initially there were four competitions: – the SYPFL, Yorke Valley FL, Western Districts FL and the Yorke Peninsula Football League.

From the Southern Eagles to Wallaroo and Bute in the north, football is an integral part of life on the Yorke Peninsula as a prosperous nine-team competition under the YPFL banner.”