Coledale Waves legend Trevor Deeming honoured with prestigious NSW long service award
Football South Coast Association’s Coledale Waves FC stalwart Trevor Deeming has been recognised with the prestigious Distinguished Long Service Award set be presented at the 2026 NSW Community Sports Awards at the Bankstown Sports Club on Monday June 29.
Deeming will be honoured alongside 25 volunteers from across New South Wales, all acknowledged for more than 25 years of extraordinary dedication to grassroots sport and their local communities.
Deeming’s recognition comes after an extraordinary 28-year commitment to Coledale Waves Football Club, where his influence has stretched across every level of the game from junior development through to senior football, refereeing, and facility management.
He first joined the club in 1998 as an assistant team manager for his son’s side, a role he held for 11 years while also coaching his second son’s team between 2007 and 2011.
In 2009, Deeming took an unconventional but remarkable step onto the pitch himself, beginning a playing career that continues to this day at the age of 75. He has now amassed more than 250 senior appearances in the Over 45s Division Two and has also spent time managing the Over 35s Men’s Masters team between 2017 and 2021.
His contributions off the field have been just as significant.
Since 2014, Deeming has served as club groundsman, marking more than 2,500 kilometres of field lines and setting out in excess of 7,000 corner flags, an extraordinary testament to his ongoing commitment to the club’s weekly operations.
Never one to step back, he became a qualified referee in 2022 and continues to officiate matches every weekend, supporting the game from yet another angle while encouraging the next generation of officials.
One of his proudest achievements came as player-coach of the Over 35s, guiding the team to premiership success in 2020. In a fitting moment, the loudest cheer on grand final day was not for a goal, but for Deeming’s own cameo appearance from the bench.
Across his decades of service, Deeming has played a key leadership role in developing young players, mentoring club members in ground management skills, and helping upskill emerging referees. His impact has also extended into modernising club operations, transitioning administrative processes from paper-based systems to digital platforms, and even producing training materials and tutorials for future volunteers.
In total, Deeming’s involvement spans more than 1,000 games as a player, coach, referee, and volunteer, an astonishing figure that reflects his lifelong dedication to the sport.
From team manager, junior coach, senior coach, premiership player, groundsman, to referee, his contribution has been total and enduring.
Trevor Deeming’s legacy at Coledale Waves FC is best summed up by the club itself: a true grassroots football legend whose influence will be felt for generations to come.
Football NSW wishes to congratulate Trevor on his wonderful achievement and accolade, well done.
