TIGERS CLUB NEWS ARCHIVE

TIGERS NEWS - 10 AUGUST 2005

Our Volunteer Sports Medicine Trainers

For many years the Tigers Club have had the wonderful and professional services of a group of voluntary Sports Medicine Trainers. During a period of over 25 years the late Stan Anderson held the reigns as the face of chief strapper (as they were called) assisted by the likes of Alan Jones and John Lynch plus many other faces.

Now our players are cared for by the ever reliable and hugely popular group of volunteers including the duo of Fred Gisik and Gary Bullivant. They are the real ñbackroom boysî ¿ just two of a number of people who volunteer their services in the Sports Medicine Field to assist our players prepare for matches each weekend and at training three nights per week.

The background on this weeks volunteer is for Fred Gisik.

The Gisik name stretches back to the late seventies when FredÍs younger brother Wally became a senior grade player with the organisation as well as serving on the Tigers Football Committee. This in addition to Presiding over its Junior Club.

Eventually a young Gisik came through our Junior teams graduating into the Under 19Ís and then into seniors. That being young Rod, a promising player throughout his Junior career. His eventual placement into the Senior Club commenced the career of his father into the field of Sports Medicine with Fred now occupying a position of trust amongst our players over the past fourteen years.

Having ñFreddieî on board has been of enormous benefit. His popularity amongst all concerned within the organisation can not be questioned. Not only does he provide his services in a voluntary capacity but also along with the lovely ñDiddlesî - his wife of some 30 plus years - sponsor the Tigers Club each season. Not many clubs anywhere could boast the support of such an individual providing a huge amount of his time each week while assisting the Club in a monetary way providing sponsorship. Further - both Fred and Diddles provide the after match refreshments for the Reserve Grade each week - no charge and no reimbursement ¿ we donÍt dare to offer !!!!!!

A transport driver by employment, there would be few days whereby ñFreddieî would not be up and running before sunrise, work throughout the day often driving to Sydney and back ¿ off loading and then arriving at training before most players - to then strap and look after our players to well after 8.00pm. This in itself is a magnificent effort considering he provides his services each weekend of the football season from 8.30am on match days assisting the Under 18 grade team to well after 5.00pm when the 1st Grade complete their match.

He has a physical job during the day and then has too put up with a few soooooks at night ¿ just kidding - although the amount of time some players spend in the backroom really does test this mild mannered mans temperament.

Oh yeah ¿ that young Rod bloke ¿ the son who is probably the reason ñFreddieî has spent so much time with the Tigers Club - is still a valued member of the Tigers 1st Grade team just shy of his 150th 1st Grade game (including being a member of the triple premiership teams of 1998, 1999 and 2000) and is expected to play his 200th Club game later this season - providing the Tigers enter the finals series.

All the above about a man who is a Rugby Union convert - although some days we wonder !!!!!!