A photograph of the Drouin under 14 football team who were crowned Warragul and District league premiers in 1965.
Featured on the right is Fred Harper, the team's coach.
Amongst the players are some famous football names - Peter Knights and Geoff Ablett.
The Harper family name is well known within both the Drouin Football Club and the Drouin Cricket Club.
Fred Harper played football wearing the number 13 jersey, the same as his uncle "Bunk" Bernie and later his son Ron.
As well as playing, Fred was instrumental in establishing the junior football league. He set up and coached Drouin's under 14 team in 1964 playing in the Warragul and District Football League.
In these days, Fred would carry many of the team in his car to and from matches as well as any gear needed.
This 1965 team photo shows the premiership team coached by Fred.
The caption reads, back row (from left): R. Wolfe, T. Thomas, J. Miles, P. Knights, G. Rees, J. Tibballs, F. Harper (coach).
Centre row: G. Arnold, D. Wells, T. Flack, R. Howe (captain), W. Hallam (vice captain), B. Oxley, K. Pitt.
Front row: G. Ablett, C. Nickell, W. Black, M. Hamilton (mascot), D. Trollope, L. Ablett, R. Thornbury.
Peter Knights went on to play for Hawthorn from 1969 to 1985, including the 1976 grand final triumph.
He is regarded as one of the greatest centre half backs in the game and is in the AFL Hall of Fame.
Geoff Ablett - older brother of Gary Ablett Snr - played for Hawthorn from 1973 to 1982, and then Richmond and St Kilda until 1985.
Other kids coached by Fred included Russell Donaldson who played for Hawthorn in 1974 and Kevin Ablett who played for Hawthorn in 1977 and 1979 to 1980, Richmond in 1984 and Geelong in 1985.
The Drouin Football Club, known as the "Hawks", was in the recruiting area for the Hawthorn Football Club at this time.
Recognising his work in the local sports field, Fred Harper gained life membership of the Drouin Football Club and also life membership of the Drouin Cricket Club.
Visit storiesofdrouin.com.au to learn more about the story of the Harper family.
Photograph and information courtesy of Stories of Drouin, a cooperative oral history project between The Committee for Drouin, Drouin History Group and 3BBR FM to preserve local stories.
