New Lambton Football Club and long-time volunteer Megan Payne will be celebrated at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday as part of a national initiative to promote healthy and inclusive sport.
Ms Payne, the club's secretary, will receive the 2023 NSW Good Sports Volunteer of the Year award and the club will be named runner-up in the NSW Good Sports Club of the Year Award.
Good Sports is an Alcohol and Drug Foundation program which works with almost 12,000 clubs nationally, including 3260 in NSW, to promote family-friendly sporting environments.
The Novocastrian Park-based New Lambton club, which is associated with the New Lambton Eagles National Premier Leagues outfit based at Alder Park, has about 1000 junior, youth and senior players.
Club vice-president David Thomas said joining the Good Sports program had "increased our awareness of alcohol- and drug-related issues and facilitated discussions and workshops on responsible drinking and problematic substance use".
"Good Sports has supported our club to introduce policies around alcohol availability and the promotion of healthier choices," he said.
"For example, we do not allow sponsorship of our youth teams by alcohol-related businesses, and we don't serve alcohol at our game-day canteen."
Ms Payne has been a player and administrator at the club for 10 years, helping to boost New Lambton's female participation numbers and develop programs for players with a disability.
Mr Thomas said Ms Payne had been a tireless worker for the club.
"She has coached, played and volunteered, often all at the same time," he said.
"In her current role, she handles everything from scheduling to finances, to mentoring and everything in between."
He said Ms Payne had helped streamline the club's operations and allowed it to grow significantly.
"Megan's service to the club also includes organising large-scale fundraising and social events that have generated substantial funds for the club's development.
"Her impact on the club, its members, and the community is immeasurable and has made her a shining example of what makes our club proud."
