Joe Leck is the beating heart of the Mitchell Park Footy club, he has been there for over 20 years, played juniors, won premierships, won association medals - he has done it all as a player on the field. Trying to come up with one highlight on Joe’s playing career is next to impossible, he is the type of player that always lifts when we need it, either by kicking a goal from the boundary or lofting a perfect pass to another forward, he is (well, maybe was - he is after all approaching 40!) one of those players that seemingly had more time and more space than everyone else.
Joey is the spiritual leader of our team, his rev-ups and speeches have had me ready to run through walls, laugh, fight and want to cry all at once. On a personal note Joe is perhaps one of the main reasons I have stayed at a club, which, in the past has had an unenviable reputation, poor on field results and limited juniors. Every time I have contemplated looking elsewhere to play a game of footy the thought of letting Joe down or losing his respect has made it impossible to leave, he is the main voice in my head when it’s cold and raining and the hammy is feeling a bit tight for training - the power of his personality is that strong.
Despite the glowing words above I was originally quite confronted by Joe, he can be quite intense and suffers from the proverbial white line fever, one particular day he called me out for not being tight enough on my man in defence - which I thought was a bit rich coming from a forward pocket and gave him a spray back - Joe then proceeded to run the length of the field, took me aside, and merely asked for a better effort next time and that he just wants to get the best out of me. His ability to understand how different players can be and still find ways to motivate are unparalleled and from that point on Joe has been a mentor and someone I look up to.
Given that his playing achievements are so numerous and plentiful it is truly a testament to his off field dedication, hard work, perseverance and personality that it dwarves his on field credentials. Joe has pumped numerous thousands of dollars into the club, probably being the difference between staying alive and not - either through organising sponsorship, marketing fund raisers, running club events, raffles, auctions, mice races, games nights, volunteering for the Lions club, banging the player subs drum - Joe does it all.
Every club has their great volunteers, their great players, their great administrators, their great blokes. Rarely do they happen to be one person.
Here is his profile on our website:
http://www.mitchellparkfc.com/player-profiles/joe-leck
Legend.
