Luke (OTG 2012) and Donald McDonald talk Trinity, football and their father-son bond

Luke McDonald attended Trinity from 2007-2012, and for both him and his parents, Donald and Terry, it was a wonderful experience.

‘We decided to send Luke to Trinity based on the fact they really promoted helping boys develop their own self-esteem and leadership qualities,’ Donald said.

‘In Luke’s instance, Trinity delivered on both fronts.’ such as leadership programs and House activities.

Luke and Donald have a very strong relationship, and very strong ties to football and Trinity. Donald played for North Melbourne Football Club between 1982 and 1992, and Luke was drafted from Trinity under the Father-Son Rule in 2013. This year, Donald is Head Coach of the OTGA Football Club Seniors team.

I have always loved football, so that passion for the game has always driven me to get better. I also just want to make my family proud.

Dad and I have a very strong fatherson relationship. Dad has always been a massive role model for me, and I would say that we are very good mates, there's not much I wouldn't feel comfortable in talking to him about.

It is awesome working with Dad in a family business. We are always very honest with each other, which I think is a great value to share. Dad’s greatest asset is his ability to connect with people, he can talk underwater!

The best thing I have learnt from my dad is that family always comes first. No matter what happens in your life through the ups and downs you can always rely on your family.

After playing for 14 years, I have remained involved with football clubs, including stints at Werribee, Box Hill Hawks, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Avondale Heights, Old Scotch and now Old Trinity Grammarians. I have been a Coach, a Manager and a Salesman, and it has been a wonderfully enjoyable journey.

Luke and I are in constant contact with each other, especially now that we run a business together, McDonald Management & Events. Working with Luke has really added a new dimension to our relationship.

Luke’s greatest attribute is his personality, in that he can relate to anyone. I feel being brought up in a football environment has helped shape this attribute because you meet a wide and diverse range of people and personalities.

Being involved in football clubs is so important not just because of keeping active, but the social aspect and the friendships you create that stay with you for life. Growing up in Kew, I played football at the Kew Comets before going to Trinity and playing football there. Whilst at Trinity, I also played for the Oakleigh Chargers and Werribee and was eventually drafted to North Melbourne under the FatherSon Rule in 2013.

I was at Trinity from 2007-2012 and absolutely loved my time at the school. Trinity really shaped me into the person and leader I am today. Through the experiences I had Trinity, I grew so much through all the opportunities

AFL football is an unbelievable rewarding journey, there are so many ups and downs but at the end of the day I'm living my boyhood dream and I remind myself of that every day!

When you coach, you are immediately responsible for the performance of that team which means you have to work hard at establishing and maintaining relationships. It also gives me the opportunity to pass on my learnings to others, which I hope will help them in their journey through life as well.

Football has been a strong constant in my life for as long as I can remember. My parents were mad Collingwood supporters and I loved the crowds and the excitement that going to the football exposed me to. I first played as a junior at school and locally for a team in Flemington, before I was recruited to North Melbourne Football Club.