Paul bids farewell after big contribution
West Australian Football Commission Mid West regional manager Paul Pirrottina says he will leave his post at the Department of Sport and Recreation a happy man.
Happy not because he is leaving, but because he says it was easily the most enjoyable job of his career.
“I’ve done it for six years and it’s the best job I’ve ever had, without a doubt,” Pirrottina told The Geraldton Guardian.
“I really wanted to make sure I was moving the game forward, not just in the Mid West but also in the Gascoyne and Murchison.
“It was important to make inroads out there and make sure kids are engaged and are not only playing the game, but have the access to resources and all that goes with it.”
Pirrottina is someone who is passionate about the game of footy, playing his junior footy with St Pats, and then playing seniors for Towns and Northampton.
He won three consecutive grand finals, two with Towns in 2002 and 2003 before winning with the Rams in 2004.
Pirrottina said living in DSR housing had been a big advantage.
“You get to bounce ideas off the other regional development officers and speak with the Department of Sport and Recreation about the programs they run … you get such a vast range of knowledge from other people, so it’s been great,” he said.
Pirrottina has done a lot of work with the Gascoyne region and has helped set up a strong board, and says new president Cameron Perry is doing a lot of work to help improve the state of that competition.
“The Gascoyne is an area with a lot of issues, not just on a sporting front and not just on a footy front,” he said.
“We’ve made a lot of progressions there and we’ve got a good board there.
“The competition was on its knees and we’ve revived it somewhat, but there’s still a lot of work to be done, but junior footy there is now fairly strong.”
Pirrottina reserved thanks for the Regional Football Development Council, especially chairman Jerry Dawson, who he said had been outstanding.
He also thanked Craig Walker, Heather Brett, Mark and Jay Starling and former GNJFL president Mick Fenner for their support during his tenure.
