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The Moorabool News – 1 March, 2022 Page 3
Taking a punt By Lachlan Ellis A local man has won a full college scholarship in the USA, playing American football for the college team as a punter. 21-year-old Jack Burgess grew up playing Aussie rules for Bacchus Marsh, but switched codes to American football last year – and Weber State University in Utah has picked him up to play for their team, the Weber State Wildcats. Mr Burgess said he’d had an interest in American football for years, but it wasn’t until he heard about a program called Prokick that he realised he could make it at college level. “I found out about the Prokick program, they were set up by two guys called Nathan Chapman and John Smith. It’s pretty much an academy-type program where they train you up and teach you the fundamentals of American football punting…there’s a lot of spiral-type kicks that they kick a lot more than we do [in Aussie rules],” he told the Moorabool News. “The colleges come to Prokick with a sort of criteria they want filled, what they want out of a punter. Prokick assess that and match people in the program to those criteria.” The day he accepted the offer of a full scholarship playing with Weber State’s football team was “hectic”, he said. “Nathan Chapman messaged me and said, ‘Hey mate, are you free now?’. He told me that the head coach at Weber State wanted to chat, I had a 15-minute chat with the coach, and he offered me the scholarship right there and then. “It was a bit out of nowhere, usually guys have a bit of time to prepare for a call or think things over, they might talk with the coach ten times before they get an offer – but mine was pretty instant, it was kind of 0 to 100.” Mr Burgess said he was on the way to breakfast when he got the call. “I was about to leave with mum and my sister. I told them to go without me and I’d see them in a bit…when I got to the café I told them, they were very emotional, very happy. Mum started crying her eyes out, it was probably a sight to be seen in the café.” Jack’s mum, Maria, said that while it was daunting having her son decide to move across the other side of the world, it would be an exciting journey for him. “We went to America for Jack’s end of school – New York, Boston, all that. He loves America, it was no surprise. He’s so confident to do things by himself, so it’s not like I’m sending
Jack Burgess taking a punt; in America, and the Utah University football logo. Photos – Jack Burgess Facebook a little fellow out into the world…he’s really independent,” Ms Burgess said. “I’m choosing not to think about any sad stuff, I’m only thinking about how excited he is, what an incredible opportunity it is, and a huge adventure.” Jack Burgess will fly out to Utah in either May or June this year, and while he said an NFL career would be a dream come true, he’s taking it one step at a time. Jack is the son of the late Ian Burgess, who sadly passed away on 5 September 2020, aged 55. Ian Burgess was a 17-year member of the Bacchus Marsh SES Unit, and was remembered as a “committed and compassionate man, who strived to help his community in any way he could", and remembered through the Ian Burgess Memorial Shield, the Unit’s Youth of the Year Award.
Coffee with a Councillor
By Lachlan Ellis
If you live in Bacchus Marsh and you have questions regarding Council, a more personal interaction than a call or email will soon be available – having a morning coffee with a local Councillor. Rod Ward is one of four Councillors for the East Ward, which takes in Bacchus Marsh, Darley, and Maddingley and said passers-by recognising him while he was having a coffee, had given him the idea to organise regular chats with residents. The Village food court in Bacchus Marsh is where you will find Cr Rod Ward for a “It all came about quite by accident…I do receive a number of emails and phone calls from coffee and a chat.
residents, but I suppose not every resident has the capability or time to send an email or pick up the phone,” Cr Ward told the Moorabool News. “By chance, I was having a coffee one Saturday morning, and in a 20-minute period I had three residents approach me for three different matters. I thought, maybe there’s a need for more accessibility to Councillors.” Cr Ward said he would be available for a chat on Saturday 5th and 12th March 9.00am to 10.30 am at the food court at the Village Shopping Centre. He added, if the community supports the idea, he will consider making the chat sessions a weekly event.