LIFE Memberships in any sporting organisation reflects the recipient has done some hard yards over a long period to enrich the club.
Recently at the Ipswich Indoor Sports Centre Awards night this honour was handed to a man that has given more than 30 years of service to the Indoor Centre.
His name is Mal Nienhuis and for anyone that has been to the centre you would have seen him doing many jobs over this long period.
Nienhuis has played many different sports at the centre, from his main sport cricket to netball, soccer and volleyball. While he has been involved in his week-toweek teams he is always the first person another team rings if their team is short as they know his answer will always be “Yes”.
Mal will say he is not the most talented sportsperson around but has represented cricket and netball at Zone Levels as well has taking on official roles over the years culminating in his appointment as manager of a Queensland Under 15 side a honour he holds dear to his heart.
Mal has not just given on the courts; he has also put in just as much off.
He is a regular cricket umpire, coaches a premier league side and has helped with centre pulldowns and bar duties when required.
Mal was honoured to receive this award and thanked the owners of the centre.
“I have meet so many people here at the centre over the journey and class a lot of them now as family,” Mal said.
He was not the only person awarded life membership on this night as Centre Owner/Manager Leah Ala Outinen was also given the honour for the dedicated play and service she has given the centre now for 30 plus years.
Mal and Leah now join a select group of eight people at the centre to be awarded Life membership.
Current Life Members include Alex Knox, Donna Dalby, Darren Lehmann, Grant Suthers, Tim Wichura, Glynn Knox, Coral Sharpe and Dulane Carson.
