The Kick-to-Kick Association of Australia has released its fixture for 2014. It features an ever-expanding number of venues, times and players.
“We have carefully considered the requests of our many members,” said a KKAA spokeswoman while marking a Sherrin in the foyer of the KKAA head office.
“We believe the fixture is a fair and accurate reflection of the never-ending enthusiasm for kick-to-kick,” she added, before drop-punting the footy to a colleague heading out for a sandwich.
KKAA fixture 2014
In the hallway while Mum’s making the lunches
On the footpath while dawdling to school
In the playground before – and after – the first bell
Then during playtime, lunchtime and after 3.30
Behind the cow shed after the milking with Johnno, Jacko and Moz
Behind the shearing shed when the shearing’s done
In a wheatfield after the harvesting
In the shade of a parked prime mover full of grain
At the back of a roadhouse
Behind the canning factory during smoko with Enzo, Sally and Baz
In front of the factory while picketing, with security guards and cops
On the empty factory floor when its blown its final siren
On the well-worn carpet at Centrelink
In office corridors with Mick and Jen and Sue
In canteens and staff rooms too
In foyers and lobbies and entrances
Through the sliding doors of fate and happenstance
Behind bars if you’re lucky
On Christmas Island if you can get there
At a bus stop with Bill and Al and Con
On a city rooftop
On a train platform with the PSOs
Across the platforms, broadcast live on CCTV
After a gig with Brian and PK and Ned
Under a streetlight
Under a full moon
Down a bluestone laneway
Outside a country pub with Red and Mitch and Nick
On a dirt track, a bush clearing, a sandy desert
On a straight stretch of the Great Ocean Road
On the outskirts of town with Mia and Mel and Nat
In the avenues of caravan parks, the aisles of supermarkets
On beaches at low tide
In the backyard of your childhood with John and Pete and Heardie
And Phil and Les and Rick
In the paddocks of the past
Where you always kicked long and true
On the day before the wedding with the bridesmaids
On the honeymoon with the groom
On a soccer pitch with Tom and Jesse and Max
A tennis court, a basketball court
A cricket ground too
With knobbly knees and a dud hammy
With smokers’ lungs and a wobbly hip
In dreams as you go under
As part of the rehab
Gingerly after the surgery
In the fog of the future
In the departure lounge of tomorrow
In the back pocket of contemplation
In empty carparks and old drive-ins
Demolition sites, building sites
On a Monday, a Tuesday or a Wednesday
A Thursday, Friday or a Saturday
On Sundays with JB and JD and Rodg and Laurie
And Scott and Steve and Oscar
And Bruno and Geoff and Andrew
Outside (but never inside) the MCG, the SCG, the Gabba
And other big city grounds deemed too grand
On a local footy ground anytime anywhere
As long as the earth spins
As long as the heart beats
As long as there’s air in the lungs and in the leather
Will we kick the ball from one to another.
About Vin Maskell
Founder and editor of Stereo Stories, a partner site of The Footy Almanac. Likes a gentle kick of the footy on a Sunday morning, when his back's not playing up. Been known to take a more than keen interest in scoreboards - the older the better.
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Brilliant Vin. Your best yet. As an ageing uncle I witness my 18+ YO nephew’s kick to kick with envy, and fear of personal humiliation. Fortunately there is still a 12 YO that I can compete with on a relatively even footing, and he still welcomes my attention. I fear I am getting close to hanging up the moccasins. But you have encouraged me to hang on for another year.
Brilliant Vin. Where is the head office of the KKAA? I’ll drop in for a kick.
Hi Vin.
Love it.
Love the idea of those sliding doors of fate and happenstance opening onto unimagined pathways. Same but different.
Grand.
Loving your work, Vin. Captures the very essence of “having a kick”.
Up until the last line I thought it was an ad for VB. And if only CUB had the lyrical and inclusive sense of the Australia you have conjured up in this simple, whimsical poem Vin then maybe I might endorse VB. I won’t. But I will endorse reading and dreamin’ and kick to kick. Cheers
Fantastic Vin enjoyable and creative well played Sir
Heck, why stop with Australia? Where’s the International Kick to Kick Association of Australia? You need to dream big.
Thanks one and all.
Dips – the head office of the KKAA is anywhere anytime, but on Sunday mornings you’ll find a few of us (not many) at the Fearon Reserve, Williamstown, home of the CYs. Not this Sunday though – could be a bit warm!
Rick – I was aware this piece could sound like an ad for VB, so I pulled back back on the rhyme and re-arranged the rhythm a bit. And very aware this sort of writing – of which I’ve done very little – can easily plunge into soppy sentimentality.
Gus – Why stop with Australia indeed? The International KKAA has offices across the globe. .
‘In the departure lounge of tomorrow/In the back pocket of contemplation’. So many great lines in this one, Vin. One to read and re-read. Thanks!
Love it Vin.
Love the rhythm of the poem.
Also love the rhythm of kick to kick, esp one at each end (no contested marks).
Thum……..Mark..Thump……..Mark etc
Vin
In Qld there is an added dimension. The game is called force’em back and the idea is that you kick from where you marked. Occasionally as a kid you would get onto a torp or a droppie and it would sail over your 11 year old opponent (often a brother). However I prefer the absence of competition in Kick to kick.
John – the absence of competition in kick to kick – something I am trying to get my kids to understand an appreciate as they all seemed so focused on winning and losing. Just pure enjoyment of refining a skill and playing together and not against each other.
Vin, can relate to smokers lungs. Hips still ok…for now. Beautiful work mate, well done.
Fantastic Vin, another level.
Fanbloodytastic Vin, I especially love, ” In the fog of the future,
In the departure lounge of tomorrow
In the back pocket of contemplation”
Pure Magic
I loved this: thanks.
That is a lyrical gem, Vin.
Beautiful Vin; lyrical like a Paul Kelly song. I bet a few of us were hoping our name would appear in your carefully crafted images.
John,
There’s a simple purity in one-at-each-end kick-to-kick. And there’s Sharin’ the Sherrin training style, hand passing to the guy running past so that everyone gets a kick. But the best fun is with a good number, kicking it up high and see who can grab it.
Missed this last year. Masterful, love your work Vin Maskell.
I sent it to my Dad (79) who grew up in very hilly Launceston. he says
Thanks for the link to Vin Maskell’s poems Chris , I was pleased to see him give you some publicity and also enjoyed kick to kick which brought back memories of saturday mornings on the fairly flat section of the gravel road outside mum and dad’s place at the top of the hill and lunch times sharking kicks off the big kids kick to kick in my first year at secondary school x dad