Mounties Celebrates 50 Years Of Community Sport

18 Mar 2020

Mounties, Australia’s number one registered club, is celebrating 50 years of sport in the community this April. Since its humble beginnings as a small sports hut, Mounties has brought together talented and committed sports players over the decades, growing to 29 sub-clubs in 2018, which include a number of elite sporting teams.

As a feeder club to the NRL Canberra Raiders, Mounties has trained and progressed many key players throughout the years, including Lou Goodwin, winner of NRL Rookie in 2016, who went on to sign a contract with the Canberra Raiders. Mounties has also recently welcomed NSW Cup coach Ryan Carr, who joins from the South Sydney Rabbitohs after coaching their Holden Cup side in 2017. There are currently four Mounties teams made up of 80 players, which are each succeeding at an elite level in the NSWRL, plus a highly competitive women’s side in the Harvey Norman Women’s RL Premiership. Key achievements secured include Minor Premiers (Ron Massey Cup & NSW Cup), Highest Point Scorer – Mitch Cornish (NSW Cup) and Highest Point Scorer – Sam Aiga (Ron Massey Cup).

The Mounties Wanderers soccer club has just launched its new season under the watchful eye of head coach, Kevin Harper, who has signed with Mounties from the Scottish UEFA. Mounties Wanderers FC will field teams in NPL 2 NSW Men’s, NPL NSW Youth and Skill Acquisition Program with all 11 Teams playing at an Elite level.

In cricket, Mounties has six teams playing in Cricket NSW & Shires Cricket competitions. Mounties Shires teams have continued to grow with more than 70 players currently playing.

An integral part of Mounties’ history and culture, sporting sub-clubs form the heart and soul of Mt Pritchard and the district Community Club. From cricket to rugby league and soccer, Mounties has been influencing the development of both sporting and social activities since the 1960s.

The first sporting clubs of the area were rugby league and cricket, both formed in 1927. Some of the most notable club cricket players were the White brothers, Mortimer (Mitta) and Joe, who became Mt Pritchard & District Community Club’s first president and inaugural committee member respectively. Some of the many talented rugby league players who have worn the black and gold colours of Mounties have included Arthur Summons, Bob O’Reilly, Geoff Gerard, Steve Ella, Eric Gothe, Paul Taylor and in more recent times, Brad Fittler.

Other sub-clubs formed throughout Mounties’ 50-year history include; athletics, baseball, chess, cricket, darts, euchre, fishing, golf, hockey, indoor bowls, joggers, judo, Little Athletics, the Marching Girls Association, netball, rugby league, snooker, soccer, softball, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and Toastmasters.

Athletes who have emerged from Mounties’ sports include 23-year-old Mounties Women’s Rugby League player, Simaima Taufa, who has been instrumental in helping inspire the next generation of athletes. The only current Western Sydney player in the squad, Simaima has had an exceptional year at Mounties with a long list of achievements. In the past year alone, she was awarded Dally M’s Female Player of the Year for 2017 and Winner of the Australian Representative Player Award.

Off the pitch, Simaima volunteers to run sports clinics at local schools in Prairiewood, Casula, and outside of the Fairfield area, mentoring a diverse range of children, using sport as a tool for leadership skills they can apply in all areas of their lives. A mentor for Women’s Rugby League at Mounties, passing on her experience to younger players, Simaima is also an ambassador for the sport, working tirelessly to raise the profile of Women’s Rugby League in Western Sydney.

To celebrate the encouragement that sports brings to the community and the Club, Mounties has also signed a new sports ambassador. Claiming Australia’s first gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in modern pentathlon, Chloe Esposito, will be providing advice and mentorship to young Mounties sports members.

Kevin Ingram, Mounties Group President, said, “We are proud of our sporting accomplishments and proud of our athletes. From seasoned players, to those just starting out, sport is all about inclusiveness and team bonding.
“Our Club has clearly evolved over the years but one thing that has remained constant, is our commitment to sport.” said Mr Ingram.

For more information, visit http://www.mounties.com.au/.