Sharon takes the reigns at ROC

By Justin Robertson
ROC Football Club has just elected its first female president.
Sharon Temby was elected two weeks ago when outgoing president Martin Long resigned due to health reasons that prevented him carrying out his full duties at the club.
At the club’s last AGM, Temby – then head trainer – walked out of the clubrooms with a vice-president role, but never thought she’d ever be the club’s president.
Once Long officially stood down, Temby became president in the interim for 48 hours until the club held a meeting to discuss its next step.
“We had the chat and everybody was happy for me to step up,” Temby said. “The players are excited, everyone seems to be excited with the changes at the club, but I guess the biggest one is the club now has a female president.”
A nurse away from the clubrooms, Temby said the club “has a buzz about it”, and changes – like the new freshly painted away rooms – are part of the club’s transition phase.
“We look professional this year, we are cleaning up and becoming healthier,” she said. Health is a big thing for me, being a nurse and I always say to the players – prevention is better than a cure.”
Temby has been part of the senior club for the past three seasons, volunteering as a trainer to begin with and then took on the head trainer role – a position she’ll still keep during this season.
Her three sons, Michael, 15, Billy, 14, and Andy, 13, are all involved at junior level and husband Darren is the club’s secretary.
“Once footy season starts our family lives down there six days a week. It’s pretty full on,” she said. I want ROC to be successful and still around when my boys are old enough to play there.”
With less than a month to go before round one, Temby said the season will be a success if she can use her role as president to keep the people of the club happy off the field.
“We are a family club. We’ll be making sure the juniors and seniors work together better this year and if that happens it will definitely help us move forward,” she said.
“There is a good feeling around the club right now and as president if I can keep that going regardless of how many wins we get on the field I’ll consider that a good season.”