The Cooma Cats will honour the club’s past when they launch their 2011 season this Saturday (2 April).
After their opening round clash with league new comers Tuggeranong at Snowy Oval at 1pm, the Cooma Cats will hold a Season Launch Dinner and official opening of the club’s new “Hall of Fame” and Memorabilia Room at Dodds Hotel.
The opening of the Hall of Fame and Memorabilia Room at Dodds Hotel represents a significant milestone for the club as it finally gives the Cats a “home” to publically display their history and honour past players and officials.
Cooma Cats Club President Dave Paterson said the Hall of Fame and Memorabilia Room had been a major gap in the club’s organisation.
“Thanks to our ongoing partnership with Dodds Hotel who has provided us with a room, all Cooma Cats – old and new – can proudly display their memorabilia and by doing so, honour past players, officials and fans,” Dave said.
“Everyone associated with the Cats now has a place where they can come and reflect on the club’s great past, its wonderful personalities and achievements over many years.
“Many people over the past four decades have made a great contribution to Cooma through their commitment to the area’s only AFL club, and our new Hall of Fame and Memorabilia Room is a place where that contribution can be seen and reflected on,” he said.
The Hall of Fame and Memorabilia Room contains team photos from every year since the club was formally launched in 1976, the club’s perpetual trophies and honour board, a much more.
Taking pride of place is the club’s only premiership pennant which it won in 1984, as well as the match ball from that great victory over Western Creek.
Another treasured item is a team photo of the very first Cooma Cats side from 1956 – a team of Australian Rules football diehards who brought the game to the region during the great Snowy era.
Dave said a key item displayed in the collection was the “Number 7 jumper” worn by player Don Thomas who tragically collapsed and died during a game at Snowy Oval in 1982.
“Don’s ‘Number 7 jumper’ was immediately retired after the game as a mark of respect for his contribution to the club, and it is great that we can now publically honour his memory through by giving that jumper an appropriate home,” Dave said.
The driving force behind the Hall of Fame and Memorabilia Room is Cats’ stalwart Ian Tucker.
“Ian has done an outstanding job carefully preparing all of the items which now make up the display and organising the setting up of the room,” Dave said.
“Ian was a wonderful player with over 250 games for the Cats, and since his retirement he has continued to make an on-going and major contribution to the club as an official, mentor and supporter,” Dave said.
“Ian’s drive to get our new Hall of Fame and Memorabilia Room up and running is a wonderful achievement and we are all indebted to him for this,” he said. “His spirit reflects what we at the Cats are all about – community”.
The Cat’s Hall of Fame and Memorabilia Room will be officially opened at the 2011 Season Launch Dinner at Dodds Hotel this Saturday night and it is hoped as many people as possible who have been associated with the Cooma Cats over the years will be in attendance.
Tickets for the dinner are $25.00 a head for a two course dinner and a great night of nostalgia.
Photo caption:
Cats’ Hall of Fame project officer Ian Tucker and coach Damien Asanovski prepare items for display in the new Cooma Cats Hall of Fame and Memorabilia Room at Dodds Hotel.
Last Modified on 08/04/2011 22:37