2025 SANFL Volunteer of the Year Award nominee – Scott Leverington

15 October 2025

By ALEXANDRA BULL

Since 1980, South Whyalla Football Club’s Scott Leverington has found himself around a football club.

When he was 12 years old, he played for the Willsden Football Club, where he remained until the second half of 1985. He then played for Port Adelaide’s U19s side before returning to Willsden in 1986 to continue playing for his original club.

Scott moved to the Whyalla area in 2005 and subsequently ended up at the South Whyalla Football Club.

“South have always been a bottom club in the Whyalla Football League. They struggled to recruit players and field teams, and had very little success in juniors and seniors,” Scott said.

“After persisting for 20 years, the wheel has finally turned with the club now having a strong junior program, and our senior teams are now winning games and playing finals.

“South Whyalla people are very resilient. I’m not sure many clubs would have survived the last 20 seasons having been in a similar situation.”

Scott has committed to every job in the book – coaching, umpiring, runner, committee, canteen. You name it, he’s done it.

In recent years, Scott has gone above and beyond to help launch the Whyalla Football League Women’s (WFLW) forming a working group in early 2023 before launching the senior women’s competition in September that year.

A four-team competition was launched with over 1000 people walking through the gates on opening night.

The competition has now undergone two successful seasons, providing an offering for over 150 women to play the game they love each week, with Scott’s support behind it all.

On the back of his hard work, 2025 has seen the expansion of the WFLW, with seven teams now competing. This growth and development is testament to Scott’s efforts to expand the local women’s football league.

“It’s been extremely fulfilling to be part of a team of individuals to make this happen,” Scott said.

“I’d like to think the Women’s Competition is here to stay and will only expand and become stronger in the seasons to come.”

Scott added that his work with the South Whyalla Football Club and WFLW would have not been possible without the support of his wife, Angela.

“She (Angela) only occasionally complains about my endless trainings and meetings,” Scott joked.

“Our running joke is that I’m having an affair with ‘Mrs Meeting’.

“Football has given me a lifetime of memories, friendships, and community. To be recognised with six life memberships across football clubs, cricket clubs and leagues is something I’ll treasure forever.”

Scott is one of eight finalists for the 2025 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, 31 October.