The Lethbridge Junior Football Club
How it all began….
It was in 1978 that Mrs. Maureen Dillon, wife of Jack and mother of a family of 6 boys suggested to her son Shane, a prominent sportsman, that he should provide the young boys of the neighborhood with some football coaching. Shane took up the challenge and organised an afternoon for those lads who would be interested in improving their skills. The response from the young boys was immediate, a large number attending, and as a result, a Junior Club was formed. The Club soon had the support of parents. Shane was officially appointed coach, and Dennis McMahon, husband of Lena took on the onerous job of secretary.
Games were organised between Lethbridge and Bannockburn and they were played at the half-time interval of the Bannockburn Senior side, with the area of the ground being considerably reduced.
Originally the team did not have their own Guernsey’s and had to rely on the goodwill of the Bannockburn Football Club for their uniforms. Mr. Phil Arnold, headmaster of the Lethbridge Primary School at the time, suggested to the Mothers Club that they should apply for a government sports grants so they could equip the team with their own uniforms. This was done and the grant was approved. The boys were soon equipped with their own jumpers - bottle green with white collars and cuffs and suitably numbered.
Dennis and Shane, along with parents from Meredith, Anakie and Little River, organised a Junior Football League. The Moorabool River provided a natural dividing line between Meredith and Lethbridge on the western side and Anakie and Little River on the eastern side, hence the name of the League,- “The Moorabool Little League”
A round Robin is play between all four sides at the beginning and end of each season. In between the teams play one another, every second Sunday.
Dennis, who played such a prominent part in the success of this competition, passed away on January 11, 1983 at an early age, and in recognition of his contribution to the Little League and the Lethbridge Club, a trophy is awarded to the winner of the end of season round robin series and is named the Dennis McMahon Memorial Trophy.
Shane passed away some years ago as a result of a workplace accident and it shouldn’t be forgotten the contribution he made in teaching the young lads the skills of the game.
(Taken from “The Heritage of Lethbridge –Eric McGillivray)
The Moorabool Valley Little League unfortunately folded in 2015 after teams from Anakie, Inverleigh, Teesdale, Meredith and Lethbridge went their separate ways and some joined other Leagues. The Lethbridge Junior Football Club didn’t have a team that year. The following year, with the determination of a couple of parents, the Lethbridge Rosella’s joined the Geelong Junior Football League, through AFL Barwon, with an Under 10 and Under 12’s side.
