Former Player Takes the Lead: Woombye Snakes Elect David Gaskin President
by Janine Hill
THE wheel of time has turned full circle at the Woombye Snakes where a former child player has become the recently elected president of the football club.
David Gaskin has taken over the president’s role from Andrew Kinden, who has stepped down after five years at the helm but will continue to be involved with the club.
David played footy for the Snakes in the 1980s from the age of 12 before going to Brisbane to take his game up a notch and then heading to the United States on a sporting scholarship.
He returned to Brisbane and got into playing and coaching but a move back to the Sunshine Coast about seven years ago allowed him to reconnect with his old club.
He was vice-president last year when members were rocked by the death of club secretary Amber Stokes, who was also Andrew Kinden’s partner.
David said members rallied as a family, which was typical of the Snakes, a small club of about 370.
“It was good to see how the club did come together for Amber. At a get-together for Amber, there would have been more than 200 people there, and most of them were club people,” he said.
“The club has always had very much a family feel to it, where everyone knows everyone and feels welcome,” he said.
Andrew, who has done two stints as president, said he was happy to step down when there was a strong group of people at the helm of the club.
“I’m grateful that it’s a time at the club when there’s a lot of good people who have stepped up to keep the club running, and who helped with everything after Amber passed away last year,” he said.
“I feel like I’m stepping down when there’s a good committee there.”
Andrew said there were many people to thank but said special recognition was due to continuing secretary Michelle Brown, outgoing registrar Col Eckles, outgoing treasurer Leisa Webbe and her husband Dan, Jo Leis and and Deb Griffith for their hard work and support.
Besides David and Michelle, the new executive committee comprises vice-president Jacob Ingram, treasurer Maryann Sanders, and registrar Debbie Griffith.
David said he wanted to continue to foster the “family” feel of the club but also wanted to make the club’s facilities available to others and explore the possibility of getting some more space.
He is also keen on sourcing funds for change room improvements.
“At the moment, we have only two change rooms and we have three girls teams and three ladies teams and there are times when the guys and girls have to get changed outside because we don’t have the facilities,” he said.
David’s father was a on the club executive back in the 1990s and David believes he could be the first second generation executive member.
He said the Snakes had a proud history dating back more than 50 years and was one of the founding clubs of the Sunshine Coast football competition.
David Gaskin, left, has taken over the president’s role from Andrew Kinden, who has stepped down after five years at the helm but will continue to be involved with the club.