Australia Day honours for Karen Waud
Football NSW would like to congratulate North West Sydney Football Association Chair and West Ryde Rovers President Karen Waud who was the recipient of an OAM for Service to Sport during for this year’s Australia Day Honours.
Known to many as one of the most passionate and hardworking grassroots administrators and volunteers in the North West Sydney Football association area, Waud juggles not only her football duties but is also the President of the Eastwood Ryde Netball Association.
For decades, Waud has promoted various sports especially football to the masses within her football mad area.
As an advocate for sport in general, Waud practices what she preaches having played netball for 53 years and football for 18 years for her beloved Rovers.
Waud’s also part of Ryde Council’s Sports Advisory Council and last week attended her first meeting as a director of Ryde Sports Foundation.
Hard work, loyalty, and dedication, they have been the very traits Waud has lived by during her fifty-two plus years of involvement with the sport.
As a leading female administrator in our game, the 61-year-old has given a lot of her blood, sweat and tears to the Rovers club especially, pouring hours and hours ensuring the club are ready to go on match days amongst many other things.
Community Sport is in Waud’s blood and there’s still more petrol left in the tank for her to further deliver as a hardworking administrator and volunteer.
“I think I still have more to give to sport in the Ryde area,” Waud told the Weekly Times.
“I love doing what I do and if it means moving to another level then I’m more than happy to make that jump.
“I don’t see this as a career.
“I love my grassroots sports, they bring me so much joy and I’m more than happy to volunteer my time.”
A former Football NSW State Award winner, Waud’s been part of the West Ryde Rovers setup since 1982, giving her a cult like status at Meadowbank Park every Saturday and Sunday during the football season.
It’s been a family affair that got Waud into the sport but the Rovers especially as her father Lester (after whom the LH Waud field at Meadowbank was named after) really enjoyed his football.
Congratulations on an amazing achievement Karen, we are very lucky to have you in our sport.
