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In the first of our Sponsor Interview Series for season 2021, we chat with Steve Chichester, long term Saints family member, experienced coach and all round good guy.

Thanks for being a Saints sponsor again this season Steve. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your family  and your business?

 I played a lot of football over many years and coached at Maroubra for 10 years while my son Tom played. I coached at the Swans Academy for 6 years and have been coaching the UNSW u19s for the past 6 seasons.

I am a fabric supplier for the clothing industry and have been running for 12 years at SC8 Fabrics, selling to various Ladies Fashion Brands. With the world turning to more sustainable solutions I am now supplying organic cottons and importantly recycled plastics from landfill and ocean rubbish. We can make anything ranging from T-shirts to bags to curtains, all with the same feel as regular fabrics. This is from Waste2wear and you can see the full story on our website.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Brisbane and moved to Sydney at 19.

When did you first become involved with the Maroubra Saints?

Around 2003 or 2004 I think.

Has the club changed since you first became involved?

The club is always evolving. We moved to Pioneers for the older ages while I was coaching, which was a big change, and the numbers continue to grow. Its wonderful to see the club leading the way with the Girls teams, so many good sides and so much talent.

I’ve heard you do a lot of coaching with the Saints? What do you think are the three main attributes a successful footy coach needs?

It has to be enjoyable for the kids most importantly, if they are having a good time they will learn.

Structured training, plan sessions, keep it simple, lots of footies and not running drills too long. Also coach on the run, limited lectures.

All inclusive, every child wants to be a part of it no matter what level they are at, its your job as coach to help them enjoy playing.

Do you have a standard pre-game message to your players?

We are a team, every player is important.

What about post game?

Always find something good to say about the game, what did we do well. What can we learn. Find a funny moment to give them a laugh.

Growing up, did you play junior sport. If so, what sports and what were some of the life lessons you learnt?

I played Rugby League and Australian Football, I also ran. I learnt you always have more in the tank than you think.  You can be better with training and effort.  I learnt sport is a community engagement and some of these people may be friends for life.

Is there a standout memory or highlight from your own junior playing career?

 I played 11 losing Grand Finals before I won one. That win was sensational, however coaching the teams and seeing someone improve is always a thrill.

Do you have any thoughts or ideas for parents or families who might be considering becoming more involved with The Saints? Where should they start?

 To be involved in your child’s sport is a great chance to teach lessons about life. Be a community member, work the canteen, run the water etc.

It shows we all can be involved and enjoy the experience.

 Do you think it’s important for local business and local families to be involved with a community sporting club? 

Most definitely. It takes a village to raise a family and we all go through tough times so having help is wonderful.

Which footy team do you follow? Why? 

 I was always Swans but now we have some ex Maroubra players playing at Adelaide in Ben Davis and The Giants in Jack Buckley, I follow them as well.  Great to see another Saint make his debut this week in Errol Gulden.

Flat White, Long Black, Skinny Cap, Sav Blanc or Peroni? 

 Peroni and the Piccolo next morning.

Bacon and Egg roll, Sausage roll, Salad roll or Meat Pie?

All of the above, that’s what I miss most in the off season a good Saints BBQ.

Please come along and join us as a thank you to all of our Maroubra Saints sponsors on Monday 22nd March at Sugarcane restaurant in Coogee. 56 Carr st, Coogee.

Sugarcane – Restaurant in Coogee | South East Asian Cuisine

Our current and past sponsors include: ASG, Sugarcane Restaurant, DMH Accounting, NRG Solutions, LM legal, Superheroes inc, Virtue Advice, IGA Roselle.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor this season we would also love you to join us. You can be a sponsor from as little as $300.
Sponsors help provide our club with the equipment and resources we need to continue giving our kids a fantastic AFL experience. Our club runs on a team of volunteers and the support they provide combined with sponsorship enables our kids to be part of a great club.
The Saints had 559 registered players in 2019 from ages 5-17 of which almost 25% were females. We turn 22 this season and our footy club, with your support continues to grow.

If you would like to find out more, please join us for a casual drink and some light refreshments at our 2021 Sponsors Info Night. Some of our current sponsors will share the benefits sponsorship brings. You can ask any questions you have about becoming a sponsor.

Date: 22 March 2020. We will kick off at 6PM and wrap up by 8PM.

RSVP: Camille camille@cdconsulting.net.au

JUNIOR: Ages 9 to 18
This includes girls teams

If your child or youth is turning 9 or above in 2021, register for Junior & Youth.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR MAROUBRA SAINTS JUNIORS

Please ensure when registering that you register in the correct age group according to your year of Birth.

(U9 – U17 including Youth Girls)

1. On the registration form select how many players you are registering
2. Put in your email address (must be the same as last year if returning. If not, contact us at maroubrasaints@gmail.com)
3. Put in your password – if forgotten use the “Forgotten Password” link on page
4. Choose either option:
(a) returning junior club player – click on your name to complete the form
(b) a new player or transitioning Auskicker – select “New Member” and complete the form
5. Complete all details on the form
6. Please pay by credit card online

In this interview series, we introduce Saints members to our Sponsors.

Saints sponsors help our club in many ways, including; ground hire, purchasing equipment, paying umpires, keeping registration fees to a minimum and ensuring your children can train and play in a safe, healthy, fun environment every week.

Today we meet returning sponsor, Steve Herzberg from NRG Solutions.

Thanks for being a Saints sponsor again this season Steve. Can you tell us a little bit about your business, NRG Solutions and the types of clients you work with? 

NRG Solutions is a corporate training company. Michaela (my amazing wife) and I opened the business 15 years ago. We work with a range of clients, running programs on Leadership, Sales and Presentation Skills. I design and deliver the work and Michaela is our Operations Manager. Our clients come from a range of industries including Technology, Electrical, Haircare, Finance, Golf and Animal Health. Prior to 2020 we delivered most of our programs face to face. Since the pandemic started, we have moved all of our offerings to Video Conference/Online programs. We really had no choice.

Did you grow up in the Maroubra area?

No, I was born in England and moved to Perth, WA when I was 9. I moved to Sydney in the mid 1990’s, initially just for a look. I met my wife a few years later, and have called Sydney home now for 25 years.

What first  attracted you and your family to Maroubra Saints?

 A friend of mine told me his son had played at the Saints and loved it. Our son, Zac, had tried soccer and later basketball, and wanted to try something new. We said let’s try AFL. He loved it. He started as 6 year old and now is playing under 12’s.

 And what about your own family? Are you involved in different sports?

Our two teenage daughters, Emily and Nicola, play soccer, do reformer Pilates, go to the gym and are regular walkers . My wife, Michaela also does reformer Pilates and regularly does the coastal walk. She knows every second person in Coogee so when I walk with her, there’s a lot of stop and chats. I’ve been a member of Bonnie Doon golf club for the past 20 years and try and have a game once a week.

 How have you and your family coped with the pandemic and the delayed start to the season?

We’ve all been OK, thankfully. Zac can’t wait to start playing.

Growing up, did you play junior sport. If so, what were some of the life lessons you learnt?

I played a lot of junior cricket. I also played soccer up to under 15’s. I kept playing cricket into my adult life and was lucky enough to go on and play for WA and then Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield. Cricket taught me many lessons including; the team is more important than myself, taking responsibility for my own fitness and skills, resilience, adaptability and in order to stay sane, being able to laugh at myself.

Is there a standout memory or highlight of your own junior playing career?

In under 13’s we won a game of junior soccer 31-1. Our coach was slightly mad. We were up 18-0 at half time. He really got stuck in to us at half time saying we needed to apply ourselves more in the second half!

I’ll also never forget my first game of junior cricket, aged 9. The only thing we won that day was the toss. We were bowled out for 3. Yes, that’s not a misprint. 11 players made a total of 3 runs, one run was a no ball . Me and one other lad top scored with 1 run each!

Do you have any thoughts or ideas for parents  who might be considering becoming more involved with The Saints? Where should they start?

Great idea to get involved. The years go by quickly. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to discuss the benefits of becoming a sponsor. You can become a Saints sponsor from just $250. The club runs on volunteers and without volunteers, we would have no club. If you would like to get more involved, a great starting point is to let your coach or manager know. They can point you in the right direction.

 Do you think it’s important for local business and local families to be involved with a community sporting club?

It’s critical. Community sport is the glue that holds our society together. You see fewer kids playing in the street these days and school sport tends to be quite exclusive. Community or club sport is a great way to meet other people in your area, form new friendships, on and off the field, all coming together through the medium of sport.

Which footy team do you follow? Why? 

Swans. Cheer cheer the read and the white. Love the song. Love the SCG. Love beating the Vics.

Flat White, Long Black, Skinny Cap, Sav Blanc or Peroni? 

Long Black before midday, Peroni after midday.

Bacon and Egg roll, Sausage roll, Salad roll or Meat Pie?

B and E with BBQ sauce. Soft wholemeal roll if available.

Do you have a pre-game message to your son?

Listen to your coach. Support your team mates. Get stuck in.

What about post game?

Great effort mate. Well played (if warranted). Let’s grab some B and E rolls before they run out.