The following individuals were awarded Life Membership by the Ballarat & District Soccer Association (BDSA) since the League was reformed in 1975.
All have been formally recognised as Football Victoria Life Members at the 2025 FV Annual General Meeting in May 2026.
Peg Peterson (1978)
A founding member of the Ballart & District Junior Soccer Association, Peg was instrumental in setting up the schools-based competition which led to the formation of several Ballarat clubs which carry on to this day. After six years of service in the formative years of the Junior League, Peg was recognised with Life Membership.
Lola Pierce (1978)
A founding member of Forest Rangers Soccer Club, Lola Pierce played a key role in recruiting schools to the fledgling competition established in the early 1970s, which served as a blueprint for several clubs which formed from their membership of the Junior Soccer Association. Her efforts over six years were recognised with Life Membership.
Jane Nicholson (1979)
Another significant contributor to the early years of Ballarat’s Junior League, Jane was instrumental in encouraging schools to participate in the competition when the League barely had a footprint in the region, her service ultimately rewarded with Life Membership.
Brother Monagle (1979)
An instrumental cog in the development of the Junior Soccer Association in Ballarat, Brother Monagle was involved with St Patrick’s College and worked tirelessly recruiting other schools to the competition during the league’s infancy. After a half-dozen years’ service, Monagle was recognised with Life Membership.
Ken Reeves (1981)
A long-serving contributor to Ballarat Soccer Club circa the 1970s, Ken was an important member of the Junior Competition which sprouted via the burgeoning interest in the local schools’ network. After eight years of service to the Junior League, Ken was recognised with Life Membership.
Graeme Smith (1981)
One of the powerhouses of the Ballarat & District Soccer Association, Graeme served as Secretary throughout the 1980s and played a crucial role as the Head of the Investigation and Disciplinary Committee. He returned in the role of Assistant Secretary in the 1990s and fulfilled the position of Registration Officer for several years.
Fred Maggi (1981)
A lifetime contribution to his club Vikings, Fred was involved with soccer in the Ballarat region from 1973, playing crucial roles in both the Senior and Junior administration. He was a pivotal figure in the amalgamation of both bodies which resulted in the birth of the Ballarat & District Soccer Association in 1983.
Edna Oliver (1981)
Edna Oliver formed a brilliant administrative partnership with Football Victoria Life Member Jim Oliver, the two making a great claim of being the most powerful husband-wife combination in regional football. Edna herself contributed over two decades of tireless work in supporting the Ballarat & District Soccer Association.
David Henderson (1988)
One of the unsung heroes of the Ballarat soccer scene, David served in Executive roles with the Ballarat & District Soccer Association, initially as Chairman and then as Treasurer, where he doubled as the Head of the Investigation and Disciplinary Committee. He is fondly remembered as a tireless contributor to the Ballarat Referees Branch.
Kingsley Curtis (1989)
A pillar of the Junior Leagues competition, Kingsley served the vital role of Registrations Officer over much of the time he was involved. He was honoured with Life Membership in 1989, the ninth individual to receive the honour and the final one in what proved a crucial decade in the game’s growth.
Herman Bogers (1992)
With over 45 years of service to Junior and Senior football in the Ballarat region, Herman served as President across two terms, as well as Vice President and Secretary. A qualified referee, he was the Local Branch Appointment Officer for over a decade. Herman’s return to the BDSA Presidency ensured there was a steady hand guiding the transition to FV administration in 2025.
Gwen Quince (1993)
Gwen volunteered over fifteen years of her time with the BDSA, serving as Secretary and President for six years, a huge advocate for Women’s football throughout her tenure. Her roles extended to coordinating Investigation and Discipline as well as MiniRoos. Gwen also represented the BDSA on the Country Leagues Committee for three years.
Steve Briggs (2007)
Across two decades of involvement with the BDSA, Steve was instrumental in growing the Senior competition before it amalgamated with the Junior League. He served on the tribunal throughout his time, ultimately elected as President of the BDSA before handing the reins to Herman Bogers at the conclusion of his term in 2023.
Neville Keen (2007)
A long-time servant of the BDSA since 1994, Neville served on the BDSA committee for almost thirty years, his expertise in Fixturing and Rules of Competition instrumental to the day-to-day administration of the game. He played an instrumental role in the governance and coordination of the Victorian Country Championships right up until it was handed to Football Victoria in an administrative capacity.
Marilyn Tyndall (2007)
With over 35 years of service to Forest Rangers Soccer Club, Marilyn served on the BDSA Committee throughout the 1990s, a valuable contributor to the development of football in the region throughout this period. Her service to the game was recognised locally during the 2019 Australia Day Honours, where she was awarded the City of Ballarat’s Citizen of the Year.
Kathy Payton (2009)
A dedicated volunteer for almost a quarter of a century, Kathy’s service to the BDSA included Member Coordinator, Registration Officer and most notably, Victorian Country Championships Coordinator, where her skill and experience in administering the annual event were pivotal to its success.
Peter Reid (2014)
One of the regions prime advocates for facility redevelopment, Peter served as Secretary, Treasurer and Tribunal Coordinator for the BDSA for a period of nine years. He was an instrumental cog in the Stakeholder Working group ultimately responsible for the establishment of the Morshead Park precinct.
Howard Wilson (2018)
Howard devoted 23 years of service to the BDSA, primarily as a General Member of the Committee, where he took on roles such as Referee Coordinator, Investigation and Discipline Coordinator and Fixture Coordination.
Tracy Dean (2024)
Across a dozen years leading up to the handover to Football Victoria, Tracy served the BDSA in the role of Treasurer, later known as Financial Coordinator, where her work was regarded as exceptional in a period of transition.
Mark Powell (2025)
Mark served the BDSA in its final decade, primarily in the role of Vice President, where his experience in the game proved invaluable. He continues his work in the region as Board Member of the Ballarat City Football Club.
Note: BDSA Life Member John Oliver was previously recognised as a Life Member of the Victorian Soccer Federation (now Football Victoria) in 1977.