Soccer: James Goddard accepts life membership from OVA on behalf of his parents

Being involved in the game, whether it be through playing, coaching, or organisational input, was as much a choice as breathing or the need to eat.

But, James Goddard said, he wouldn't have had it any other way. And when he accepted life memberships from OVA on Saturday on behalf of his late father, Mark, and his mother, Glenyce, he was overcome with emotion.

"Sam Higgins did a speech about how Dad helped turn his life around when he started coaching him," James said.

"He choked up a bit and that set me off."

Both Mark, who passed away in 2010, and Glenyce were key members of the club "right from the start". James' father was heavily involved in coaching "four or five" teams every season, while his mother did a huge amount of administrative work for the club.

So fervent was their dedication that Mark and Glenyce would often get up to go to work at 3am, so they could pick James and his two younger siblings, Brendan and Stacie, up after school and ferry them to soccer training.

"We'd be down at the soccer fields from 4pm to 8 or 9 o'clock at night every day of the week," James said.

"Then on Saturdays, we'd be there setting up at 7am and wouldn't get home until 6pm after first grade. On Sundays Dad coached a rep team that I played in and we'd be off to Newcastle or Port Macquarie.

"It was pretty well seven days a week."

But when Mark died 12 years ago after a brief battle with cancer, James lost his love of playing.

The 33-year-old still watches and supports OVA, but soccer was a foundational part of his connection to his father, and he hasn't taken the field since.

"I just didn't feel it anymore," James said.

"I wanted to be next to him on the sideline and could never really get back into it once I stopped."

Similarly, Glenyce found living in Tamworth too painful after Mark passed and set down roots in Forster.

As she was unable to attend the presentation ceremony due to the relentless rain, James "cant' wait" to give her the life membership plaque, which he hopes to do this weekend.

And given his father's utter dedication to OVA, James is sure Mark would be overjoyed to see how the club thrives today.

"He would have loved every single second of it, seeing how unstoppable they are," he said.

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