Courtesy of Jacob Grams from Quest Northside Chronicle.
"GOOD, better, best, never let it rest until your good is better and your better is your best."
Ask anyone who knows him and they will confirm Ian "Reevesie" Reeves has followed these words from his father, Bill, to a tee in support of junior cricket abd Aussie rules.
Reeves was chosen to recieve a Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2015 Australia Day Awards after 30 volunteering in junior sport in Brisbane, brought on by a love of community.
In 2003, Reeves added Australian Rules volunteering to his resume after 30 years in cricket, coaching several junior teams before evenually jioning Aspley Hornets, where he now sits as junior co-ordinator.
The 72-year-old started coaching Valley District Cricket Club juniors in 1983, joining the committee in 1992 and serving on the junior management committee from 1994-2009.
He earned life membership with the club in 2000 and has been given the same honour with Brisbane North Junior Cricket Association and Queensland Junior Cricket Association, where he remains on committees as president and secretary respectively.
Reeves said the Australia Day honour was a tips of the hat to all the volounteers in both sports, rather than his sole contribution.
"It's sensational. I'm gobsmacked. It's very humbling that people nominate you for things like that,"Reeves said. "I suppose it stems back to my parents (Bill and and Margaret). They're the people who brought me up to consider other people and do all thatyou can to help the community.
"I just remember always being interested in organised sport and helping the youth of the community."
Reeves said he had always loved Aussie rules and cricket equally since he played the sports while growing up in Footscray, Victoria.
But after he "found utopia" by moving to Queensland and then retiring from a job in IT management, helping children achieve their goals and learn important life skills has been his sole focus.
But he said none of it would be possible without the support of his partner, Sandra Melchior.
Reeves said her understanding of his desire to spend most of his days helping young people succeed had allowed him to carry out his roles as best he could.
He said he just wanted to make sure young Australians make the most of their opportunities to thrive.
"We've got an idyllic country here. Australia is just something else," he said.
Full story - http://quest.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
Last Modified on 29/01/2015 11:41