Best email to reach Pert

[1964_2 2,357]

On 9/28/2021 at 12:09 PM, Darkhorse72 said:

Thank you for the replies.  Yes its an amazing time.  You can tell from my history I love the dees and not a jaded supporter.

My communication to Pert is also important for the future of the club, it's not really a complaint but it could be interpreted as such. But I will explain. We are WA supporters my kids are been members since birth like many here.  Yes we have been amazing likely this year with the finals and result (He will get congratulated)  My oldest no longer has an interest in football or the club.

My daughter 13, son 10 still love football.  But they have no real connection to the club. My son has never met a player in person, had a photo with or a signature his whole life, last time my daughter did she was 5. they could not make the open training in WA due to school. But there was little or no interaction there due to covid rules.  While they follow Dee's neither have a favourite player as they are "people" on TV and we normally see them on a field maybe once a year, there is no interaction.  (The club used to have open training and dinners for wa members which no longer happen). 

So at the open day Pert said after the GF they players were excited to meet at the supporters etc, give signature, photos etc.  So we went to the city representation, (the players were behind a 8 foot fence covered in tarp, I guess the city arranged this, not the clubs doing) and left within 10 minutes after the presentation.  Despite Garry Lyon saying they'll be having around with the supporters after the presentation. My son is quiet and polite and when he could get to a 3 metre section of low fence all the players were already on the bus.  Viney was only player still  there trying to sign things, Hibberd got out of the bus and pulled him in so they could leave as he was taking too long training signing signatures, (He signed 3 things). Virtual all the players just ran down the space to the bus and got on.  While my son didn't say anything he was really sad by the experience. It was his first time and opportunity in his entire life to get a signature, he had a pen and a hat ready to be signed by a player.  But they were gone.

I have emailed Pert to explain this and ask where the opportunity of members and supporters in WA to meet and interact with the players, as they weren't allowed to before the GF.  In the extra 5 days they have had in WA, why couldn't they arrange a 1 hour meet with the WA member families to have a kick with the players say at Joondalup arena.  We don't get the opportunity for things like family days here with the team. They could restrict it to those with paid up membership, anything more than what has happened. I feel I should not have to hang outside the hotel or try random pubs for my kids to get a photo/signature from a player.   What I can see happening is when I stop paying their membership they won't join on their own and the club will lose more future members, as WA kids are not building the same links as I did as a kid, even in the terrible early 80's. Particularly when you have eagles/dockers players visiting their schools and running training at their junior clubs (once a year).

That is essentially what I sent to Pert. 

(Extra note: I thought about this for 2 days after the city experience and just want my kids to have the same love for the Dees as I have)

This disappoints me.

please cheer up, and be grateful!

we just won the flag!!

 

[58er 5,711]

On 9/28/2021 at 12:09 PM, Darkhorse72 said:

Thank you for the replies.  Yes its an amazing time.  You can tell from my history I love the dees and not a jaded supporter.

My communication to Pert is also important for the future of the club, it's not really a complaint but it could be interpreted as such. But I will explain. We are WA supporters my kids are been members since birth like many here.  Yes we have been amazing likely this year with the finals and result (He will get congratulated)  My oldest no longer has an interest in football or the club.

My daughter 13, son 10 still love football.  But they have no real connection to the club. My son has never met a player in person, had a photo with or a signature his whole life, last time my daughter did she was 5. they could not make the open training in WA due to school. But there was little or no interaction there due to covid rules.  While they follow Dee's neither have a favourite player as they are "people" on TV and we normally see them on a field maybe once a year, there is no interaction.  (The club used to have open training and dinners for wa members which no longer happen). 

So at the open day Pert said after the GF they players were excited to meet at the supporters etc, give signature, photos etc.  So we went to the city representation, (the players were behind a 8 foot fence covered in tarp, I guess the city arranged this, not the clubs doing) and left within 10 minutes after the presentation.  Despite Garry Lyon saying they'll be having around with the supporters after the presentation. My son is quiet and polite and when he could get to a 3 metre section of low fence all the players were already on the bus.  Viney was only player still  there trying to sign things, Hibberd got out of the bus and pulled him in so they could leave as he was taking too long training signing signatures, (He signed 3 things). Virtual all the players just ran down the space to the bus and got on.  While my son didn't say anything he was really sad by the experience. It was his first time and opportunity in his entire life to get a signature, he had a pen and a hat ready to be signed by a player.  But they were gone.

I have emailed Pert to explain this and ask where the opportunity of members and supporters in WA to meet and interact with the players, as they weren't allowed to before the GF.  In the extra 5 days they have had in WA, why couldn't they arrange a 1 hour meet with the WA member families to have a kick with the players say at Joondalup arena.  We don't get the opportunity for things like family days here with the team. They could restrict it to those with paid up membership, anything more than what has happened. I feel I should not have to hang outside the hotel or try random pubs for my kids to get a photo/signature from a player.   What I can see happening is when I stop paying their membership they won't join on their own and the club will lose more future members, as WA kids are not building the same links as I did as a kid, even in the terrible early 80's. Particularly when you have eagles/dockers players visiting their schools and running training at their junior clubs (once a year).

That is essentially what I sent to Pert. 

(Extra note: I thought about this for 2 days after the city experience and just want my kids to have the same love for the Dees as I have)

Really Darkhorse 72

You need to coax him and take him along and drive him to get first in line etc  Far too passive   Then he will understand what life is like.

Its the squeaky door that gets the oil.

There have also been zoom sessions where juniors can ask questions to the players at least 2 when in WA 

If he's 10 then you have at least 7/8 more seasons to go Get started and be like our team aggressive and first in best dressed!!!

[Chook in Perth 2,012]

Pert said all of this at Joondalup training the Friday before and again at Optus the day before the GF. 

There was no chance of this happening at Forrest Place on Sunday. Way too many people to let the players get swamped.

Guessing Pert was ignorant to the logistics. It happens. A bit of perspective would be in order here. Did it detract from the weekend? Rhetorical question 

For what its worth my kids didn't give a rats r's about photos and autographs and i just wanted to go home to spew and watch the replay. Again.

[layzie 30,404]

In COVID world expect the unexpected is really the norm. No-one should be making any promises really. 

[BDA 20,895]

On 9/28/2021 at 4:58 PM, Darkhorse72 said:

Unfortunately some of the comments are not what I'm talking about. Yes we were unbelievable lucky it was in WA and our team made and won, true amazing.  Yes we feel for die hard supporters over east (because of one stupid airport transfer person and a couple of movers) but that is not what I'm talking about.  I wasn't there in Melbourne on 88 and 2000 build ups (crap result), I had to watch from afar like many others had to do this year. Year after year we sit in WA watching our team on tv being jealous of those that could got live games almost every weekend, we may get 1 or 2 a year.  We do treasure the few games we get to see for our membership. I am jealous about the family days people have at Luna park when I read about them etc as I can't take my kids along or other club functions. My kids have been members since they were born, I've been since I earned an income in WA. If it was at the G we would have been watching from here on tv, except for those lucky few that could get a seta to the game. Thats life for an interstate supporter as some on here experience and we accept, that out only other choice is win lotto to fly to games or move. 

But being in WA we get very little access or none to meet players for junior supporters, that's a fact.  They used to have dinners which if you go back years I wrote reports on and open training sessions.  I did go through my photos and the last photo we had was 25th May 2013, my two oldest got a photo with Jack Watts and Nathan Jones.  Those saying I'm winging, when was the last time your kids got to meet a player in person.  Due to modern sports science and travel routines they are in and out very quick for games in Perth, we accept that, that's life its best for the team.  

This time the players has time after the GF no matter the result.  Pert said if we win it'll be an event in the city, if they lose it'll be at Joondalup arena (Where they had the open training, where 500 turned up and I know a lot of kids did not attend due to school).  He said supporters would have access to players and officials then, as they couldn't previously due to covid rules.  That is the issue, they could have set aside 1 hour in a park anywhere  and say meet us there to the members and we'd be there. 

 

 

I agree with you on this one. The club should do as much as it can to ensure players meet the members. And especially meet the kids. They are the next generation of members so we should do everything we can to cement the bond that the GF win creates. The club have been very well run this year so I reckon the Covid restrictions have a lot to do with the lack of interaction and that can’t be helped

Next time pull your boy from school if it means he gets to an open training session. One day out of school is nothing compared to the experience of meeting the players