A long serving player of the Solomontown Football Club, Damien Foster, 35 has decided to ‘call it a day’ as an A grade footballer and played his last game on the weekend against the Lions.
It was an emotional day for Foster, knowing it was to be his last league game for his beloved club.
He started playing for Sollies in 1990 aged 17 and played in a premiership side under Max Bickley in his very first year.
He has amassed 340 A grade games, 258 were in the SGL and he is third highest for Sollies, only a few games behind Larry Rawlins who played 248, but well behind Brian Webb who holds the club record with 309 games.
“My wife Kylie would like me to play on and beat Larry’s record but it is not about breaking records; my tired body has had enough,” said Foster.
“It is hard chasing the young 18 year olds around.”
Talent scouts had their eye on Foster and in 1994 he was invited to play for Norwood where he played eight games for the reserves. That same year he was recruited by Pooraka in the SAFA where he played for two seasons and won a grand-final in 1994, winning the medal for best on ground.
He then had a two-year stint in the York Peninsular League playing with Paskeville, winning an A grade best and fairest award.
Returning to the SGL in 1998, Foster played one year for the Lions but was lured back to the Solomontown Football Club in 1999 where he played until season 2008.
The very handy player has been placed in the top three vote getters for his club on several occasions and has represented the SGL and Northern Cities at six different championships.
Foster who started playing at centre half back has played most of his career at either full back or full forward.
Playing half of his career as a forward he is accredited to kicking 235 goals in the SGL and finished this season as the leading goal kicker for his team.
Foster who is known as a strong competitor, classes Justin Duffy, Brett Michigan and Chris Pollard as his toughest opponents and Max Bickley, Brian Webb, Adrian Davies and David Bickley are the coaches that had the biggest influence on his football career.
Wife Kylie, eldest son Tyler 9, who plays for the U/11’s and Mason 6, who plays for U/9’s are his most loyal supporters and watch every match; the boys proudly wearing the jumper number 21 like their Dad.
After 19 years playing at the top level, Foster is happy to help the club out and play in the reserves from here on.
“There may even be the prospect of me coaching the reserves,” he said.
“The club is going through a rebuilding stage and I am happy to step down for the younger players. My time is up,” he said.
Through his illustrious career, Foster had a philosophy: “Train hard and respect your team mates and coach,” he said.
PHOTO: CLIMBED TO GREAT HEIGHTS…Damien Foster has played his last league football game.
He has decided to play seconds next year and support his sons Mason, 6, pictured on his shoulders, and Tyler 9, at right, who both play in the junior grades.
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff