ssg w apologies to the vincibles

On sports clubs

By Clare Tilbury

When the AGM rolled around recently, I was reminded about Gideon Haigh’s book “The Vincibles”, and what he said about his suburban cricket club. “The club to which you belong is always different, special, unique”. It sounds a lot like SSG. I’ve taken liberties by adapting the text to give you the gist:

“… The management of the club is like that of most clubs. It is run – for want of a better word – by its committee. The committee is elected – again, for want of a better word – by the members. And the committee – for want of any word that really describes it accurately – does stuff. Or at least, stuff gets done. All duties are delegated either to the first volunteer or the last person to rule themselves out. Committee responsibilities are surprisingly manageable, providing to you don’t expect to work for a living on a full-time basis.

The President is an able leader: wise, benevolent, funny. In civilian life, s/he’s a (whatever) at (wherever), which is sometimes detectable in their language. ‘Can you action that?’ or ‘Can you manage that process?’ s/he’ll say. Particularly after someone pronounces ‘We should do … (insert brilliant idea #672)’. Oh sure. But the Pres also has a strange capacity for talking you into things.

In any year, there are incredible sporting highs and some lows. Highs (cherry bombs) are always celebrated. Lows are commiserated, especially if they involve injuries that keep you from being in the water or on the bike. Some members’ sporting achievements are truly amazing. But it is the sort of club where it doesn’t really matter if you’re any good, providing you’re good enough. Turning up and having a swim/ride/run, whether it’s a short distance or long, is good. Keeping on turning up, year-round, is good. Turning up every so often is fine, too. Cheering others onwards and upwards is good. Speed is not the criteria for success. Most of us are not aiming for a brilliant sporting career, we’re aiming to keep fit and enjoy it. Advice is freely shared. Support and encouragement are always available. Challenges are regularly issued.

If the ambition for achievement was ever there, it’s long been phased out in favour of other objectives like disgrace-avoidance or FOMO. Most of us understand that if we have a weakness in our technique, we’ve always had it, are quite used to it, and maybe kinda like it. Not that we are landlocked in mediocrity, and don’t hanker to do well; of course we do. We derive a lot of satisfaction from doing well. And for most of us, there remains the enchantment of surprise.

There is a huge range of talent, grit, age, ability, and type of activity enjoyed. People arrive at the club because they’ve heard about it, they have a friend, or a friend of a friend who happens to lure them down. They stay because they want to. Although the interminable chat group threads might drive a person crazy. It is a club – a voluntary assembly rather than a civic amenity. The connecting element is that they enjoy the activities and the company. It doesn’t mean the club is special: the world is full of sporting clubs, each unique in history and tradition, quality and character.” But even so - SSG is special to us, because it’s our club.

(The book is highly recommended, even for people like me who are not faintly interested in cricket: Gideon Haigh (2009) “The Vincibles”, Victory Books, Melbourne)