Defibrillators fitted at 23 ovals
Peter Way, Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate
September 15, 2016 11:31am
The son of Pat Morley, who died 30 years ago after suffering a heart attack during a football training session, has spearheaded the fitting of defibrillators at 23 Central Coast ovals.
The Entrance Bateau Bay Football Club stalwart, founder, player, coach and administrator died after suffering a heart attack during a training session and the club’s Bateau Bay ground and headquarters were subsequently named after him.
Recently, Pat’s son, Mick played a key role in fitting out not only Pat Morley Oval but 22 other grounds around the Central Coast with defibrillators. Morley, who has played football on the Coast all his life, joined the Men of Football organisation four years ago and is now vice president.
The organisation’s mission is to help those involved with football who have fallen on hard times but recently it has raised money to fit out fields on the Central Coast with the lifesaving technology with the help of Central Coast Football.
“It could be anyone from someone who helps out in the canteen to players to administrators,” Mr Morley said.
The unassuming construction supervisor didn’t even realise the personal significance of what he and the Men Of Football had achieved until someone pointed it out to him. “It wasn’t something I was consciously thinking of.” he said.
“The light didn’t switch on until someone said it was pretty cool. The more it has gone on there has been a good feel to what we’re doing and what we’ve achieved. When we presented the defibrillator I turned up on the day not even thinking about Dad. But here I am 30 years later hopefully putting an end to any future deaths.
It’s something I’m very proud of.”
Mr Morley said his mother Lee, who is 90 years old, would be thrilled to find out that he’d helped make a difference to football on the Coast in a way that was significant to the family.
“She’ll like this, she’ll think it’s pretty cool.”
