Element Local Services - Family

Meet our new sponsor Lisa and Melvin from Element Local Services

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 a new sponsor, Lisa and Melvin from Elements Local Services
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Lisa and Melvin, Welcome to The Saints. Tell us a little bit about how you first
got involved with the club and how you found out about The Saints.
Lisa: My son Hayden McAusland started playing with The Saints when he was
U 7’s. he has played every year and is playing U 15’s this year

Did either of you play any sports when you were growing up (or now)?
Melvin: I grew up playing sport for school (Marcellin college), represented
Coogee Surf Club and played Rugby union from Colts to grade.
Lisa: I was the same, played a lot of sport growing up. Netball for Coogee and
state level gymnastics through Bunnerong Gym.

Do you have any special memories from your junior playing days? Was there a
coach or a mentor who helped you?
Melvin: George Howes was my coach when I played league for South Eastern.
He encouraged me every day to excel as a fullback.

What prompted you to get Element Local Services involved as a Sponsor this
year?
Hayden has been at the Saints for 9 years, so we wanted to give back to the
club and community.

Can you tell us a bit about Elements Local Services and the services you
provide?
We offer a range of services, including Commercial – Office cleaning, strata,
sports clubs as well as Domestic- gardening, end of lease, window cleaning,
rubbish removal and cleaning services for aged care facilities.

If Saints families or businesses want to find out more, how should they make
contact?
www.elementlocalservices.com.au
lisa@elementlocalservices.com.au
lisa 0414 777 130

Do you have an opening offer for Saints families?
Yes, we sure do !
For all Maroubra Saints families, we would like to offer 50% off your first
service. Please contact Lisa for a free quote and of course mention you are
from Maroubra Saints!
On a personal note, my wife cleans our house more on the day the cleaners
come than on any other day. Should I be concerned about this, or is this quite
usual? 
We hear this a lot, this is quite normal!
What do you think makes a successful junior sporting club?
A combination of good management, support from sponsors and parent
/community involvement
And a successful team?
Strong coaching staff, parent support and commitment from the players.
Which footy team do you follow and why?
We both follow the Swans. It’s the only team we can agree on as a family
Melvin: Raiders in the NRL
Lisa: Roosters in the NRL

Long Black, Latte, Skim Cap, Peroni, Sparkling Water or Powerade?
Melvin: Oat Latte
Lisa: Double Shot Latte

On game day: Bacon and Egg roll, Sausage roll, Salad roll or Meat Pie?
Melvin: Meat pie
Lisa: Bacon and Egg roll

Finally, It’s the Grand Final, last quarter. You’ve soared over the pack and
taken a screamer. The crowd are going wild. The siren goes. You are 35 metres
out directly in front. Your team is 5 points behind. What’s going through your
mind as you go back to take the kick?
Melvin: This moment was made for me to win the game. My teammates are
relying on me.

TCA Electrical

Meet our new sponsor Tommy Angel from TCA Electrical

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 a brand-new scoreboard sponsor, Tommy Angel, from TCA
Electrical

Tommy, Welcome to The Saints. I understand you still play AFL. How many
years have you been playing?
[Tommy] Great to be onboard! Have been playing footy for 26 years since Auskick in 97!

Who do you currently play for?
[Tommy] Pennant Hills

Who has had the biggest influence on your footy career? Why?
[Tommy] Michael Cousens – An influential man with how he communicated to the group
– he was my first senior coach at an impressionable age – he always gave me
actionable feedback, and then followed on to give me guidance always around
footy, leadership and life in general.

Can you share any special memories from AFL or other sports you’ve played?
[Tommy] 2x Senior Flags 2015 & 2017
– 2015 able to knock off a team that has lost only 1x game throughout the
whole year
– 2017 able to come from 5th to win

What prompted you to get TCA Electrical involved with the Saints this season?
[Tommy] Our business is at a stage where we want to give back to the local community,
I know how important sponsorship is, especially at a junior level to keep the game strong for the next generation.

Your business, TCA Electrical have come on board this season as a new sponsor. Can you tell us a little bit about your company, your role, and the types of clients you work with?
[Tommy] TCA Electrical has been operating as a company for 6 or so years servicing mainly Sydney’s East, Inner West and Lower North Shore. We have a team of guys and gals who complete projects with builders in both the high residential and commercial spaces. We also have a team who complete all general service and maintenance aspects of electrical, looking after many local businesses, families/home owners and investors. It is a reputable service with a personable approach!

If Saints families or businesses want to find out more, how should they make contact?
[Tommy] They can call the office on 0491 058 829 and speak to Allie. Alternatively, send an email to allie@tcaelectrical.net or send us a message on instagram @tca_electrical

What do you think makes a successful junior sporting club?
[Tommy] Buy in from the parents to share the volunteer roles so the load is evenly spread. Smiling and laughter from the kids, but also asking for their feedback!

And a successful team?
[Tommy] Open, honest communication. A common goal and heaps of hard work

Which footy team do you follow and why?
Geelong, didn’t really have a strong following to any club – moved to Melbourne and then there were a few blokes at the footy club I got along with who went for Geelong. I like the idea of a more regional/country aspect to the footy club, I watched them beat the Pies in 2011 GF and have always been a huge fan of how Joel Selwood went about his footy.

Long Black, Latte, Skim Cap, Peroni, Sparkling Water or Powerade?
[Tommy] Carlton Draught off the wood

On game day: Bacon and Egg roll, Sausage roll, Salad roll or Meat Pie?
[Tommy] Salad Roll

Finally, It’s the AFL Grand Final, last quarter. You’ve soared over the pack and
taken a screamer. The crowd are going wild. The siren goes. You are 35 metres
out directly in front. Your team is 5 points behind. What’s going through your
mind as you go back to take the kick?
[Tommy] The unlimited amount of shouts from people in the coming weeks as we
celebrate the win.

MEET OUR NEW SPONSOR DEREK FROM D & M RESEARCH

 

Derek, a big thanks for becoming a new Saints sponsor this season.

 Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your family? 

[Derek] Yeah –  I am originally from Adelaide and grew up all over Australia including Adelaide, Perth and Sydney of course. Arriving in Sydney in 1978 as a young teenager there was virtually no AFL going on – it was very slim pickings! The arrival of the Swans and then three kids rehashed my interest in AFL and we joined the Swans straight away and have been part of that family for of 25 years. My daughter unfortunately missed out on playing AFL but once the boys were of playing age we signed them up with Maroubra Saints and they loved it. My daughter is now 25, and my sons Kai and Charlie are tuning 16 and 14 this year respectively. Kai is still playing for the mighty Saints under 17s and Charlie has retired after a productive career of about 3 seasons. I live in Coogee with my two boys full time, am part of the local Surf Club and play in a local Band called Loco’s. I am a market researcher by trade and have run my agency D&M Research for the past 27 years.

 What prompted you to come on board as sponsor of the Saints this season?  

[Derek] Well I have long thought about ways I could do more to support the game I love at a grass roots level. It just made sense this year to get involved with the boys getting older and Kai probably only having another 2 seasons in him before he joins an adult team. We totally love the club, its culture and the community and how it has thrived most recently with an awesome program for the girls. When we were invited to attend a Sponsor night well I guess we just wanted to get behind this and help out in a small way with a bit of financial support that we hope makes a small difference on the ground.

 And your business is D&M Research. How long ago did you start it and what type of market research do you do?  

[Derek] It’s been a long time, 27 years to be exact. I cut my teeth as a pollster at Newspoll Market research and then set up my own shop in 1994 at the tender age of 28. It’s been an absolute roller coaster ride through start-up, GFC and most recently Covid. But it’s been the best thing I have ever done and I am proud that the agency has done work for a variety of well-known clients and big brands including Red Bull, Fox Sports, Sony Music, Woolworths,  AMP, Cover-More, Lendlease and Pfizer to name a few. We have even had the pleasure of working on the AFL Fox Footy Channel when it launched helping Fox sports to get the direction and positioning right. Our work really is about helping clients make better decisions through evidence research thus our tag line Fuel for Brilliant Decisions. Anything from understanding the health of your brand, to which customers to target, to how to get customers to choose your brand to which ads to run – we can help with any of that and more

 Has your business been impacted by Covid 19?

[Derek] Indeed it has like most businesses we have been impacted by Covid. Initially when things kicked off business dried up almost overnight and then again every time there was a spike. But then businesses started realising that they need to trade and to do that they needed to still make informed decisions and that’s where we come back into the fold. There has also been a lot of covid related research as businesses try to understand how consumers behaviours have changed as a result of covid. It’s tough but it feels like things are starting to return to some sort of new normal.

Where did you grow up?

[Derek] As I hinted earlier I grew up all over Australia – born in Adelaide in the mid-sixties I first moved to Sydney in 1970 where I did a year of kindy, back to Adelaide the following year and then to Perth in 1972 where I competed primary school. I arrived back in the AFL dessert (that’s Sydney) in 1978 and went to school in Randwick and lived in Paddington – close to Trumper park which was a bit of an AFL Mecca in Sydney on those days (although the quality of the games was so much below that of what we were used to in WA and SA  – Go Norwood and West Perth!). So I guess I grew up everywhere but Sydney is my home.

When did you first become involved with the Maroubra Saints?

[Derek] We got involved about 5 years ago with my first son Charlie started in the under 8s and then Kai joined a few years later and is still at the club. Needless to say that quite a few canteen and BBQ duties and the odd goal and boundary umpiring! Kai won a Grand Final for the under 13s back in 2019 which was one of the greatest days in memory!

What do you think makes a successful local community sports club?

[Derek] Good culture which to me means inclusion and diversity, encouraging parents to get involved and kids of all abilities to participate, being visible in the community and making everyone feel welcome and part of something..

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

[Derek] I did I played Afl for five years in Perth for the mighty City Beach Saints – same strip as the Maroubra Saints – I always have had a soft spot for St Kilda as a result. I wasn’t much of a footballer but I always turned up to training and generally got a game each week and I had at least one cracker of a game where I kicked a couple from the backline so I guess I learned that you only get out what you put in and I’ve had a pretty good work ethic ever since

Do you have any pregame messages you give to your kids on game day?

[Derek] Pre-game I always talk to the kids about being first to the ball – If you can do that you’ve got options – easier said than done but ties in to fitness and reward for effort.

What about post game?

[Derek] Post-game I guess t really depends on the result – though always highlight the good stuff whether we won or lost – there’s always something to take away into the next week either way. Kids need to know that you see their effort and are really positive and proud of their impact.

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

[Derek] Just turn up – it’s a great club with so many ways to contribute from helping at training to managing or coaching a team, being a runner, to being a goal or boundary umpire on the day. It can be a little daunting but before you know it you will be comfortable making a contribution that the kids will see and admire you for. And of course there’s always the BBQ and canteen if that’s your thing!

Which footy team do you follow? Why?

[Derek] Sydney Swans of course through and through – 25 + years as a member – when the Swans turned up AFL was back for me and we have supported them ever since through the good and the bad – being to 3 grand finals won one, lost two – just love their culture as a sports team and everything they do to make us all feel like one big family. So many unforgettable moments, 2005 Leo Barry’s Grand Final winning mark,  Plugger’s 1360 goal record, all my favourite greats like Kelly, Goodes, O‘Loughlin, Kirk , Bolton and so many more, the  2012 GF win, not to forget last Friday’s Buddy 1,000

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

[Derek] Skinny Cap, Coke no sugar, Shiraz and a Furphy

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

[Derek] Meat Pie but it has to be chunky beef!

And finally. It’s the AFL Grand Final. You’ve taken the mark and are 30 metres out directly in front. The sirens gone and your team is 5 points behind. What’s going through your mind?

[Derek] Oh that’s easy – There’s glory out there – lets have some!

 

Derek Jones
Managing Director D&M / Partner Inside Story
Part of the D&M / Cognition Alliance


P: (02) 9565 2655
www.dandmresearch.com.au

Reddawn Family Photo

Meet the team at Reddawn!

Imby Langenbach

Meet Imby Langenbach from KARMME

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

My name is Imby Langenbach. I have thee daughters, 16, 15 & 13 years old. My husband, Dean and I with our girls moved from Perth to Sydney for 1 year, 11 years ago! We fell in love with Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and couldn’t believe we got to live near the beach. It still feels like we are on summer holidays most days. I own and operate KARMME ( pronounced calm, because that’s how creating makes me feel). I design leather handbags that are made in Redfern, Sydney by my amazing makers. The business focuses on producing beautiful, quality, simple, practical leather accessories to help you carry the things you need for your day to day or something beautiful to wear when you go out at night. I started KARMME 6 years ago when I didn’t want to carry a heavy hand bag on my shoulder anymore. I had recently had neck surgery and wanted to just have a small clutch to put my phone, keys, wallet and lip balm in. It has grown from a hobby to a full time business, thanks to many of our local community who have supported me for many years now. I love what I do, it barely feels like a job.

It’s Mother’s Day on May 9th. Do you have a special offer for the Saints?

I’d love to offer our Maroubra Saints Community 15% off any purchase of KARMME to celebrate Mother’s Day. I know Mums love a card and breakfast in bed but if you are looking for something else just pop ‘MAROUBRASAINTS’ in the coupon box until Friday 7th May. There is complimentary gift wrapping and express post or pick up from the studio in South Coogee.

When did you first become involved with the Maroubra Saints?

A funny story about when our third daughter was born, someone asked my husband if he was disappointed he didn’t have a son. He replied the wasn’t, and little did we know that fast forward 6 years we would be spending most of our weekend on the sidelines of an AFL field. Our youngest daughter Taya was adamant she was not playing netball, was not keen on the uniform, so we suggested she try AFL. There were no teams for girls her age then, so she joined Gerard Pignatelli’s boys team and played with them until under 12’s last year and subsequently the girls competition too. Gerard was instrumental in forming Taya’s love for footy, a true testament to how a coach can influence a child’s life. Our middle daughter Ava then joined and I started to manage the girls team, working with many coaches over the years. Dean, my husband is now the treasurer and we look forward to footy season with Maroubra Saints each year.

What prompted you to become a sponsor of the Saints?

I strongly believe that having kids involved in sport is crucial for their physical and mental wellbeing. I love seeing how the girls begin the season, not really sure, not knowing that many people and then by the end the camaraderie amongst the team and the friendships formed is so beautiful to see. Maroubra Saints provides a place to gather, a place to be accepted, challenged, have fun and learn discipline. I think it brings out the best in our teenagers, especially. It runs on the effort of so many people who volunteer their time. For all those reasons I will always support the club however I can.

What sports are your daughters playing this year?

Taya is playing in U14YG, Ava U16YG, Ruby our eldest doesn’t play AFL but dances. School sport in summer, waterpolo and touch footy.

How has your business, Karmme, been impacted by Covid 19?

When Covid first hit and we were in lockdown, no one was going out so no one was buying bags. It was pretty full on to go from sales to no sales so quickly. I spent the time creating new designs, rebranding and working on a new website. Slowly as people started to go out again people started to buy bags. I think the insecurity of jobs and loss of disposable income has affected KARMME but it showing signs of slowly getting back to preCovid levels in terms of sales. My supply chains were affected right in the beginning and now even I have to be much more organised with ordering leather from Italy, hardware from China due to severe freight delays. Being an Australian made, small production brand has definitely had its advantages though. I think people are looking closer to home to purchase and support smaller producers, which I very much appreciate.

What do you think makes a successful local community sports club?

The success of a local club depends on the commitment of the volunteers who run and organise it, the parents and carers who get their kids to training and the kids themselves who commit to show up, do their best and reap the rewards of friendships and skills they gain along the way. I think making the club accepting of all abilities, being welcoming to all families and being as fair a club as possible are the hallmark of a successful community sports club.

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

I played Basketball and Netball growing up. I wish I had continued it on further into my teenage years as I can see how nice it is for my girls to have a friendship group outside of their school group.

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

Um no :)

Do you have any pre game messages you give to your daughters on game day?

Have you drunk enough water and eaten proper food?

Be careful

What about post game?

You had a great game

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?

I’d say start by offering to do any of the jobs that need doing on game day or at training. If you like physical things, get involved in pre game warm ups, especially in the younger years, many hands make light work! If enjoy interacting with the players and you know a bit about footy, offer to be the runner for the coach. If you are good at organising, stick your hand up to manage the team. I have loved getting to know all the girls a bit more by being the manager, you get to see them grow in confidence & skill and its lovely to see. We have a great community, I think just being amongst it, sponsor if you can, offer your skills/services if you can, offer your time if you can.

Which footy team do you follow? Why?

No team! My Dad will kill me for not saying the Eagles and my kids will kill me for not saying the Swans!

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

Strong 3/4 latte thanks :)

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

Definitely hot chips over any of them.