Skuse Alf
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 06/11/1941 |
Skuse Alf
I was born 6th November 1941 to Alfred and Mona; the eldest son of 9 children.
I attended Tailem Bend Primary School from 1946 to 1952 and moved to Gawler at age 12 in 1953; living here until 1956.
Working for Mr Leo Odea in his racing stables while attending Gawler High School on Lyndoch Road, I was up at 5am every day to work the horses before going to school.
From 1956 to 1958 I returned home and worked at the Tannery. 1958 to 1960, I worked for Kennet Constructions at Elizabeth; living in Mt Barker with my father in 1959. In 1961 I worked in the EWS Sewered and Watered Department in Elizabeth; starting as a machine operator and by 1992 I finished up as Area Supervisor.
I retired in 1992 with heart problems as I was born with a deformed Aorta heart valve, necessitating heart surgery at 32 with an artificial aorta valve replacement which gave me 10 years of quality life [now 40 years] to enable me to coach football and playing cricket and bowls at the highest level. While spending a lot of time in hospital over the years, I am sure that by keeping active it has kept me alive.
In 1965 I married Kay Edwards in St Peters and Pauls Church in Gawler. We met walking down Murray Street when she was 13. We have lived in Gawler nearly all our life and had two children, Anthony and Debra, both born in the Hutchinson Hospital.
I played in three winning Premiership sides before I played for South Adelaide from 1962 to 1970 with the highlight of playing in the 1964 winning Grand Final, after never having played in the Reserves. In my 50 years football experience, I have never been in another Premiership side. I played 9 State games for South Australia with 1966 being a highlight playing in the Australian Carnival in Hobart and nominated by all the scribes for my selection in the All Australian Squad. My biggest disappointment was when, in 1966, I was the first person to wear Addidas boots in a football game and an action photo of me was to go on TV but I had to make the All Australian side.
My football career also included: Elizabeth Districts 1960 - winning best and fairest Willaston 1961 – won the Mail Medal as Footballer of the Year Gawler South – Coached and played Gawler Central – won the Mail Medal again; and Lyndoch – coached.
I enjoy living in Gawler East.
Alf Skuse 28/01/2015
A SUMMARY OF ALF'S ACHIEVEMENTS
In the mid-fifties, Alf played in an under 17 competition which was played on Sundays for the Gawler and District and won Best and Fairest. 1960 the Premiership was won for Elizabeth and District and he achieved Best and Fairest. 1961 Alf celebrated a Willaston Premiership and won the Mail Medal.
Played for South Adelaide for 9 years - 1962 to 1970 playing 140 games 1964 he was best player in their 1964 Grand Final. For South he kicked 195 goals and 300 points and got inducted into South Adelaide Hall of Fame. Alf never played in a Reserve game.
State Games 1965 23June SA v Tasmania, 28th June SA v Tasmania, 10th July SA v Victoria in Adelaide and 19th July SA v Victoria in Melbourne. 1966 Australian Carnival in Hobart. In 4 games he was nominated for All Australian and missed out despite being best player in each game. Alf was the first person to wear Addidas Football Boots. 1967 SA v Victoria in Adelaide and played 9 State games for South Australia.
1970 Alf was Gawler South Captain/Coach. 1971 to 1973 Alf was Captain/Coach of Gawler Centrals and won the Mail Medal in 1971. 1971 to 1972 Alf was Captain/ Coach of Gawler and District football Carnival, winning in 1971 and Runner-up in 1972.He retired from playing football due to a heart failure and had his Aorta valve replaced with an artificial valve.
Alf coached Lyndoch in the mid-seventies for one year until his retirement that year.
He concentrated his sporting life on the Lawn Bowls arena and was Gawler President in 2002 and 2003. Alf was on the Committee for 20 years and a greens-worker for 30 years. in 1984 he started Night Owls.
A wonderful sporting career! Well done Alf Skuse.
To view a wonderful montage of the sporting life of Alf Skuse from newspaper cuttings please click here
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