It's fair to say they are a bit sketchy, as it was back in 1993. I was playing for Simpson and we played against a side called Tomahawk Creek in the old Colac cricket competition.  

The game was played at the Colac showgrounds. I can still remember there were the high-fives with my teammates after I got the hat-trick.

My other cricket highlight was when we played against Timboon one day. I was bowling and ended up knocking the off and leg stump out of the ground and left the middle stump untouched in the ground. I'm still not sure how I achieved that.

I was fortunate enough to be named as a 12th man in Simpson’s senior premiership side when I was a junior.

Simpson had some very good players back in that era including the Hawkins brothers, Neil and Brendan.

The highest score I made in my career was 40 runs, and I picked up four wickets with the ball in a couple of games before I gave the game away to study at university.

You mentioned that you were born in the old Queen Victoria Hospital in Melbourne. When did your parents move to the Western District?

I was adopted at nine weeks. My birth mother was 16 years old when I was born, so I was put up for adoption. I consider myself very lucky that Ben and Margaret adopted me.

They have been wonderful parents, and my siblings have been wonderful too. We lived in Terang, East Framlingham and Kolora before my parents purchased a 180-acre farm at Simpson.

It was a soldier settlement block and we milked 100 cows. I've got great memories of living on the farm. My dad farmed for 40 years.

They sold the property in 1996 and have moved into Warrnambool.

Ben, you've been heavily involved with coaching junior footy. Where did your footy career start? 

I was 13 years old when I started playing in the under 17s at Simpson. I played there when Paul McVilly was the coach for four years before playing for Cobden’s under 18 side.

I had one year there and then went back to Simpson where I played for a few years in the reserves and seniors. My cousin Leo Duynhoven was coaching Old Collegians and he invited me to come over for a game. I played reserves and seniors for a few years and then I had a break away from the game.

Ash Porra, who was president of the club at the time gave me a call and asked if I would be interested in being the club umpire for under 14 and under 17 games.

I thought that was a good idea, as it was a way of getting fit. Stephen Moloney had been coaching Old Collegians’ under 17 side. He took them to a premiership in 2009 and said he was standing down from the role, so Ash Porra asked if I would be interested in coaching the side. I thought I would give it a go, as I knew most of the players as I had been umpiring them.

The Warrnambool and District Football Netball League switched the age from under 17 to under 17.5. I coached the side to the 2013 flag.

I was extremely lucky because I received great support from so many people at all levels of the club.

I finished with Old Collegians at the end of 2014 and went out to coach Koroit’s under 18.5 side. I've been out there for the last two seasons and will be coaching there again in 2017.

I've got to ask you about Adam Dowie. His record at coaching is outstanding, and being the under 18.5 coach you would have had a lot to do with him. What's your summing up with Dowie as a coach?

He's a brilliant coach. He's an excellent communicator at all levels. I've been very fortunate to have worked with him over the past few years. I've learnt a lot from Adam. I just hope that the things that I've learnt I’ll be able to put in place. 

How are the junior numbers looking at Koroit for 2017?

They look healthy at this stage. The club has a great junior program in place which sees young talented players given the opportunity to play at the senior level.

Koroit has a wonderful culture in place which should see the club have success at all levels in the future. I'm quietly confident the under 18.5 side will be pushing for a berth in the finals next season.

With the AFL draft coming up, do you think any Koroit players may get drafted?

The club has its fingers crossed that one or two may get drafted and a couple may find their way into other senior competitions.

It's true what you say footy is a big commitment. Noel Mugavin and myself are the joint coaches of the Rebels’ under 16 summer squad. We've got 25 young boys who are in the squad. We train on Monday and Wednesday nights.

It's very rewarding to be involved in the coaching of these young men.

Noel and I try and help them out not only to learn about footy but to also be there to  discuss everyday issues with them. I've been  the principal at St Joseph’s Primary School in Penshurst for the last 12 years and I will take over as the principal at St Thomas’ Primary School in Terang next year.

I think my 20 years in the education system has been very beneficial in helping me as a coach of junior footballers.