Sport (soccer)

When it first became available, we decided it would be contrary to productivity to get Fox sports... Terry would explain:
‘Somewhere in the world someone is hitting, kicking, throwing, catching or heading a ball... and I’m not there to see it.” Besides, he preferred SBS, which he dubbed “Sport before Sex”.

To say Terry was a sports’ fan does not quite capture it. We annually joined comrades at 3 or 4am in the queue for the running of the Paddington Gift at the SCG. I remember his weeping inconsolably in the lounge bar of North Sydney Leagues Club where we watched the Socceroos lose against Iran 4:1 and miss entry into their first World Cup Finals, his unbridled joy when we watched Barcelona crush Valencia at the Camp Nou, and the pilgrimage to see Arsenal defeat Bolton at Emirates Stadium. That day, we walked Highbury so we could pay homage at the old pitch.

Terry played many sports:
Thommo broke his toe and he also faced Len Pascoe at cricket,
when living in Bourke, he would travel for hours to play Rugby,
he played baseball, both in younger days and when he and best friend, David, and his daughter Lisa, joined a mixed team...
Surfing saw him living at Freshwater and took him traveling up and down the coast, with a favourite break being Scotts Head.
He was one of those legendary Westie kids whose Easter would involve carrying his surfboard in on the train to Circular Quay, and jump off the ferry between the Heads to catch the wave caused by the King Tide.

Terry started playing soccer in the U6s when he was 4. He took a long break from playing only after breaking both legs in a motorbike accident, but came back to playing after we were married. Coaching Emryn at Gordon and then St Ives led to him donning boots himself and it wasn’t long before he was playing All-Age... after all, “Over 35s is only for Hackers”.

His greatest sporting joy undoubtedly came in the combination of playing and coaching. U12s became 14s, 16, Youth... then the Premier All-Age teams... As the boys grew up, Coach was always there. He taught them to pass and play the whistle, gaining a nickname of ‘walk away’. He helped them with homework, debriefed conflicts with parents and gave them stern lectures about how to treat women. He also coached some of the early St Ives Women’s teams, working hard to advocate for equity in sport. When necessary, he would also Ref. Playing with kids he had coached since they were 12 meant lots of radox baths and strapping tape. He was awarded Life Membership to St Ives Soccer Club and the President’s Award from the Kuringai District Soccer Association.

It was to be a surprise. He arrived at the dinner and was taken to the ‘special guests’ table where Craig Foster was sitting. Before they could be introduced, Craig rose and said, “Gday TEL, long time”... “Gday Fozz ... “ and they proceeded to reminisce about playing together and analyse the current state of The World Game. While he loved all sports, Terry’s passion for real football - the round-ball game - where you use your feet - was largely about teamwork, friendship and the development of personal character. He would always claim the sport gave him more than he gave it.