For Sunshine Heights’ Jeremy Angelowitsch, it’s more than just about turning up and trying to get the four points on a Saturday.
Having started at the club as a junior, Angelowitsch has spent all but two years of his playing days with the Dragons.
In their round 10 reserves match, Angelowitsch became the fourth player to play 400 games for the club.
“Not too many have played that many,” he said following the game. “It was a good little thing, with a few people coming into the rooms.
“Definitely don’t think about those things early, even when you transition into seniors you don’t think about these sorts of things.
“Over time when you get closer to the milestone is when you start to think about it.”
Angelowitsch played all his junior football at the Dragons before going to Albion for two seasons.
He jokes he should have known early on it wasn’t the place for him.
“My first game for Albion seniors I got called up from being an emergency,” he said. “It was seven or eight games in, the coach left me on the bench all game.
“I probably should have left the club then and there.”
He stayed for a second season with the Cats, before returning home to the Dragons.
It was perfect timing as he played in the club’s division 2 premiership.
It’s the only premiership the 38-year-old has played in.
“That was the milestone,” he said. “The big one.”
Angelowitsch said it was a struggle in their four years in division 1 being a smaller club but had some good wins along the way.
He said they’ve had their ups and downs along the way.
“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster,” he said. “One thing doesn’t really change, the footy club. It has been the same constant in my life.
“Nothing really changes too much. Things happen in your life, every day, every year, one thing with the footy club it doesn’t change too much.”
Angelowitsch said the club was like a family which was something that didn’t come at every club.
He said there were the same welcoming people every weekend.
“I play for success but it is more friendship and commodity and all those things and its been the same constant at the footy club,” he said.
“It’s never about the money at all. The family of Heights, everyone who comes to the club says how welcoming it is.
“It’s a good club. We don’t have the finances, it’s a whole bunch of people, a close knit group that have done a pretty good job.”
Angelowitsch said it was nice to see some younger players in the side and was hopeful that they could build for the future.
The club hasn’t had juniors come through into seniors for a number of years, but the club’s junior program is growing.
Angelowitsch said he will keep going as long as he can pull on the boots.
“When you’re younger you always want to win, it’s got to a point that winning is not everything,” he said. Ït’s got to a point it’s good to winm but it’s OK to lose sometimes as long as you have tried your best.”
