Rob keeps league on right side of ledger

 

December 29 2009

Shepparton News

The Goulburn North East Football Association recognised three life members this year, with Chris Davkovski, Rob Trevaskis and Frank Trimboli all receiving the award. Trimboli has deferred the acceptance of his award until after he ends his time serving the association as its president, however, Davkovski and Trevaskis were announced as life members in September.

 

News journalist Teo Pellizzeri caught up with Chris Davkovski and Rob Trevaskis to reflect on their involvement with the association formerly known as North Eastern Soccer League.

 

Tatura-based accountant Rob Trevaskis was on the beach at Fraser Island when North Eastern Soccer League called to beg for his return.

Already 18 months retired from the position of league treasurer, soccer was the furthest thing from Trevaskis' mind when Vince Sagoleo called to coax him into coming back and adding to his seven years' service to the competition.

That was at the start of the decade, now Trevaskis will embark on next year as the league's treasurer for the best part of 15 years, and as a new life member of Goulburn North East Football Association.

Accepting the award at the league medal count in September, Trevaskis' brief speech credited his son Leigh's participation in the game as the reason he himself got involved.

Trevaskis had never been to a North Eastern league match before Tatura local Joe Vraca took him along in the early 1990s.

Leigh, made to play as goalkeeper, had little to enjoy as the Tatura under-11s ended up on the wrong side of double-figure defeats.

But he would go on to play in the state premier league.

Rob was drafted onto the Tatura committee for one year in 1992, but stepped aside after tiring of the politics involved at club level.

With the league in need of a new treasurer at the time, then president Vince Ballerini convinced Trevaskis to take the role.

Sports administration ran in the Trevaskis family, father Jim was secretary of Goulburn Valley Football League.

But Trevaskis did not follow a path into football, working in Canada and Melbourne before settling in Tatura.

Travelling to Melbourne to watch Carlton Football Club was his main sporting pastime, rather than following the football or soccer clubs in the Goulburn Valley leagues.

Trevaskis was largely untroubled balancing the books for the league, the man-hours the main demand.

"There was always a steady flow of money, never any danger of a crisis," he said.

"Some clubs would try to get away from paying (fees), we (the league) stood on them and made them pay."

Trevaskis recalled one instance with a disgruntled league delegate at one tardy club not paying its fees.

But the situation was quickly resolved when Trevaskis invited the delegate to accompany him on a visit to the club to request the unpaid monies.

"I got busy with work, decided that was it and had to have a break," Trevaskis said of a period at the turn of the decade.

"I'd been 18 months away from the league and I wasn't thinking about coming back. I was at Fraser Island on holiday when Vince Sagoleo (committee member) rang me and begged me to come back. He had to twist my arm."

Now a decade on from his first retirement, Trevaskis said a good working relationship with the current committee had him lined up to continue as treasurer next year.

"I'm pleased to be recognised as a life member; it is an honour," he said.