Page 6 - NUAFC EBook

The story of a boy…

Well, I have been involved with the club for my • I remember a Surfcasting competition out the front of the
entire life. One could say that I was born out of Ngaruawahia Club with E.C and Gary Crosby. It’s amazing the things you
United AFC royalty, son of long time President and think to do to keep yourselves entertained…truth be told I
administrator Maxine Duffull (aka Williams nee Sellars) and think it was practice for the very important TOKISS.
double centurion Steve Williams. Unfortunately as • We used to jump from the lean-to-entrance onto the Flax
the talents were split between my brother and I – he got the bush beside it. The flax has obviously perished, but the
football prowess and I got the err…umm…big heart and “do memory remains.
good” mentality. I forget – I also got her bad memory, which • I remember learning how to dance from April and Kirsten
is why reminiscing about the good old days is a little difficult Henckel. Man they could dance, definitely their Mum’s
for me. It could also be that I got her love of Wine…another side I think! I have always had a lot of compliments about
contributor to my memory loss. my dancing and I can honestly say, it came from them –
I can’t recall my earliest memory of the club, but I they taught me Rhythm!
remember some things that I wish I could bring back for the • The Jukebox – OMG I loved that thing, back then the
kids of today. I know I got the ability to tell stories, albeit novelty of being able to choose your own song – now we
long ones, so for this memoir I’ll bullet point a whole bunch inevitably get stuck with someone’s play list which only
of things which I’m sure some people will remember: pleases about 40% of the people 30% of the time. Back
• Picking up the grass for Millsy, who would hide money then anyone could put on their jam, and the tunes, and
under the grass clippings in an attempt to encourage us to for only 20 cents or 3 for 50 cents. What a bargain!
pick them up. It really only cost him a few lollies because • The Pokie Machine - no-one played more and won more
whatever we found we were quickly back into the shop to than Mary-Anne Henckel – she had the magic touch,
spend it. played big and won big. I can still remember all of the pay
• Sleeping under the tables, or pulling two of the massive -outs (typical accountant) - 10 credits for the
and heavy red chairs together and sleeping in there. I watermelons and oranges, 25 for the Liberty Bells and
later found out that these were an absolute gold mine! 100 for the Bars - $20 (if you played one line like I did) –
The big heavy coins of the time use to fall out of peoples they burned in my head! I used to spend all of my pocket
shallow pockets and into the side of the chair. Only those money down there as a kid (normally by the Friday night)
with small hands were able to get their hands down there on Chocolate bars, chips, drinks, music in the Jukebox and
to retrieve the treasures that lay hidden therein. then Pokies!
• Going to the chip shop and asking for the “crunchies” • I remember helping Mum do the stock-takes of the
which were pretty much just the tiny chips and bits of Machines and at times having to count all the coins in
batter that came away from whatever was being cooked there – WOW! – I’d never seen so much money! There
and was left floating in the fryer. We didn’t have to ask on must have been about $200 worth of 20 cent pieces – the
Friday nights though as that was takeaway night and we’d big old ones – it weighed a tonne!
usually have a chippy tea down the Club. • Playing football in the foyer (sometimes with a football,
• That 6-person straight plank swing at the playground but more often with the wine bladder from ones of the
which hadn’t been oiled since World War Two. If you Casks that Mum and Aunty Liz had consumed!)
were really good, you could run from one end to the • I remember the songs we used to sing on the bus trips,
other, over the mini hurdles that the little kids used to “the Hula”…”come to Narra”…best bus driver”, etc. Such
hang onto. good times, stopping at the Rangiriri, Muddy Waters,
• There was a big hole between the Playground and the, drinking things like Baby Cham and Miami Wine Coolers,
now, #3 pitch. We used to ride in and out of it as it was Vaults, Stingers, the cruiser game and E.C’s mix – good
like a BMX track – I can’t even remember when it got times!
filled in? • Watching Joe Wright play Darts (he always seemed
• Spending hours and hours in the Pines, building huts and grumpy), I remember stabbing my finger with a Dart and
hiding out from people, going eeling, and also a great my Nan or Aunty Janet – can’t quite recall -pulling it
place to ride our BMX’s. straight out – I was freaking out and they just quickly
• Guy Fawkes was always a big thing at the club and then pulled it out as if nothing had happened.
th
when we got older we started having fireworks fights with • I have organised teams at the Club since 6 form (1998).
Roman Candles and Moon travellers (sky rockets) that we As soon as I had a license I could fit almost 9 people into
would drop into our rocket launcher and fire at people the converted CNG/Petrol Ford Lazer Station wagon. We
over by the playground – not safe, but it was different had some great games. I remember playing Rovers on the
times back then. now Number 2 field - they had proper Old boys like
• I remember Christmases at the club when Santa would Waikato’s “Shimo” etc.. We had been beaten in every
turn up, usually in a Fire Truck and would hand out game, mainly because we never had enough players but
presents. I was glad the reindeers got a rest when he we still went out and played as we had a real thirst to just
came to the club! play football no matter what the score. That day we
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