Emily Hassell named 2026 Club Person of the Year

Congratulations to Emily Hassell, the 2026 recipient of the CMT Fitzgerald Award — Hatherleigh's Club Person of the Year.

Emily's contribution is hard to define by one position or one title — and that may be the greatest compliment the club can give her. So much of what she does is simply seeing where help is needed, and doing something about it. Over many years she has become someone people right across Hatherleigh trust and rely on, with committee members regularly turning to her for advice on finances, policies, procedures, new systems or simply talking a problem through.

Stronger committees, better systems

Finance and accounting are among Emily's greatest strengths. She has mentored treasurers across several committees, helped introduce new accounting software across three committees, and played a major role in improving the point-of-sale systems in the kitchen and bar. Just as importantly, she doesn't simply do the job for someone — she helps them understand it, building confidence in others and making the whole club stronger.

Funding for Hatherleigh's future

Since 2024, at least $146,680 in successful grant funding can be identified that Emily played a major part in securing, including:

• $75,000 towards the new lighting project
• $30,000 from Wattle Range Council for the lights
• Nearly $20,000 towards the solar project
• Successful funding through Sport and Recreation, SA Health, PIRSA, Wattle Range Council and Telstra

Emily also worked with Cancer Council on the club's bowel cancer awareness campaign and round, which returned a further $20,000 to Hatherleigh — taking directly identifiable funding to at least $166,680, not counting what she has helped secure through other committees.

Behind those figures are countless hours of applications, quotes, emails, phone calls, meetings and follow-up — and then making sure Hatherleigh delivers what it said it would. Emily has been a major driver of the solar and battery project and is heavily involved in coordinating the lighting upgrade.

Across the whole club

From junior football — Under 11s, Under 13s and Under 16s — to girls' football, netball, trainers, the football committee and Sport & Rec, Emily has deliberately spread her time and support across every part of Hatherleigh. A conversation with Emily very often turns into action: a problem followed up, someone contacted, help organised.

She has helped drive important work on mental health, including Hatherleigh's adoption of the SANFL Suicide Action Plan, and looks out for the wellbeing of the volunteers around her. She has helped with fundraising through the Thermomix raffle and the Good for Footy raffle, assisted with the finances of the Hatherleigh Rodeo — and you will still find her doing the basic jobs: in the canteen, at the rodeo, at girls' football, at Hatherleigh Christmas, at home games and on Thursday nights.

About the award

The CMT Fitzgerald Award is named in honour of Con Fitzgerald, a generous benefactor of the Hatherleigh Football Club and the Hatherleigh complex. Following Con's passing, the award was donated annually by his wife, Terry Fitzgerald, in his memory. Terry was also the mother of Barry Jones, and following the passing of Con and Terry, the Jones family has proudly continued the tradition of donating the award each year.

The recipient is selected by the presidents of the affiliated clubs that make up the Hatherleigh complex, and is awarded to a person who — during the current year or over a long period — has made an outstanding contribution to the running, development or betterment of Hatherleigh for the benefit of all members.

Emily has done exactly that, over and over again. Thank you, Emily — for your knowledge, your time, for backing our volunteers and for continually finding ways to make Hatherleigh better.