The Ode

AN ODE TO THE SAINTS

It started a number of years ago

twenty-seven to be exact

with just one team of gallant men

The Club became a fact

It wasn’t long before it grew

in just one year from then

the teams had doubled up to two

both teams were Senior men

Then younger players joined the Club

that challenged those in charge

’cause none of them had made a plan

for the Saints to get too large

So we had to find more Coaches

and some Managers as well

and we needed a Committee formed

in case the whole thing fell

Some people put their hands up

with no idea what was in store

but they toiled so hard to make it work

and bring the Saints name to the fore

As years went by it prospered

many junior teams signed on

from little under sevens

but the senior teams were gone

But gradually they did return

and things were looking great

but finding grounds to train on

put the Club in quite a state

We borrowed schools and Brittain Park

some grounds were pretty rough

but as the numbers grew and grew

these grounds were not enough

After many years of lobbying

Lister Street became our ground

and next door at the High School

there were extra fields we’d found

And we’ve now got two at Calamvale

to accommodate more teams

and that will help to stop our venues

bursting at the seams

There’s lots of teams of little folk

one third approxi-mately

and it’s fun to watch them play their games

if you haven’t watched them lately

May I suggest you take the time

to see them strut their stuff

the way they play, is run all day

and hardly raise a puff

There’s tiny little under five’s

and under seven’s too

and don’t forget the under eight’s

who wear the gold and blue

Their positions are determined

how e’er their Coach may please

let the game begin and they all move in

like a swarm of busy bees

All hanging round a honey pot

they kick the ball and run

and one thing is for certain

they have lots and lots of fun

But I’d like to talk of other things

that have made this Club so gritty

it’s all the men and women

who have served on it’s Committee

They give their time and effort

and they give it all for free

spend countless hours at meetings

doing stuff that you don’t see

Where would we be without the folk

who mark lines for all the games

or do the registrations

just to process all those names

And what about the Treasurer

with his financial skills

handling all the money problems

and still paying all the bills

The Secretary writing letters

e-mails and stuff like that

as if that’s not enough to do

he wears another hat

At the moment it’s equipment

that he’s taking care of too

and a thousand other little things

that he does for folks like you

And the Carnival co-ordinators

they are a patient mob

they organise a stack of games

and that is one big job

And the people representing us

on SCM committee

spending untold hours upon the road

driving all around the city

And how about the President

I doubt he gets much sleep

his shoulders carry heavy loads

and the path he treads is steep

I could go on adding to this list

to tell you what I know

about the huge amount of work

it takes to run this show

And it’s done with friendly energy

you will hardly hear a yelp

but don’t sit there saying “thank you”

they’d appreciate your help

And I know you would enjoy it

’cause they’re such a pleasant team

and there’s lots of things that need be done

to help achieve the dream

The Saints are going places

and they’ll get there that’s for sure

so support them well they’re really great

we couldn’t ask for more