Just recently I had been blessed with a chance meeting with a special group of sports folk who continually go out of their way to help those in time of difficulty, one person in particular is the
current President of the South Sydney Juniors Mr Keith McCraw which was arranged by manager Mr Greg Tingle from media man.
The history in short, in 1996 the South juniors put together a challenge football match in the name of the Great Jack Gibson in which players were selected from a number of team that were playing in the South Juniors comp, a very very tough comp. I was in a position where i had the chance to show what i could do on the field and then make the rep side, which would make life a lot move livable. The problem was i was in long bay Hilton serving 3yrs for borrowing money when the bank was closed (armed robbery).
Whilst the souths management made sure that all inmates from the Malabar sharks had the same opportunity as those who were in the normal team not in prison, (to this day I don't know how they convinced the long bay regional commander Mr Ron Woodam to agree but I am very great full. I was the only inmate from the team who made selections to represent in the inaugural match against the sharks and I'm certain the first in the history for Souths and the prison system.
For the record I played bloody well and did the Bunnies proud and we won the match. After all the security escorts to training in the pool, the footy training at night, to the shops and to the night game it was bloody worth going to jail, if I wasn't in prison this chance would have never happened.
Our recent meeting was overwhelming ( we have had another since this one) and I was glade that Keith took the time out to speak to me and I got to know about the man who took time out to make sure I was given every chance possible, Keith was a major motivational tool that led to me deciding what i wanted to do once released from prison in April 98. Keith gave me loan of the Jack Gibson trophy (I didn't know my name was on it) so I could have a copy made.
This is what movies are made of, and thanks to Kieth and souths Ive never looked back. stay tuned for more of this meeting.
