Glenn 'Gator' Heazlewood reflects on sporting life

It was pretty special on a personal note to be awarded the best on the ground award.

But for the team to win the flag was really special.

For most of the game it was pretty tight.

We ended up just being a bit too strong for Merrivale in the last quarter.

Did you start your football career with Russells Creek?

Yes, I started off playing in the under 10s.

I played in seven premiership sides with Creek from under 10s to under 18s.

They had some very talented junior players coming through the grades at Creek back in that era.

The club was lucky to have had great coaches, including Ray Main.

He coached me in footy and cricket.

Ray was a great mentor for my sporting career and he’s been there to help me when I’ve needed it.

I was playing in Creek's senior side while I was still eligible to play in the under 18 side.

I barracked for South Warrnambool when I was playing at Russells Creek.

I suppose if all things went right, I might have finished up playing up at South Warrnambool.

Glenn, many people would know you by your nickname of Gator. How did you originally get the nickname?

We were studying history at school one day. 

A few of my mates were tossing around different names, and I was called Gator.

I went to footy training the next week.

Nick Bolton called me Gator and the name has stayed with me ever since.

I’ve got to be honest, I prefer to be called Glenn, but lots of people only know me as Gator.

Where did your cricket career begin?

I played junior cricket with East Warrnambool.

I ended up playing in their under 16 side before playing in A reserve and B grade.

I was the 12th man in three cricket premiership sides for East Warrnambool. I then decided to play cricket for Nestles.

I wanted to play cricket at the highest level.

Nestles was playing in A grade, so they were the club that I joined.

I was presented with my cap at Nestles which has the number 242 on it.

It means I was the 242nd  player to have played for the club.

I still wear the cap proudly today.

I can still remember that in my last senior game of cricket with Nestles, I made 76 runs.

Glenn, your world and the world of lots of other people took a turn for the worse in November 1993. You and some of your friends were involved in a car crash in Pertobe Road, Warrnambool one night. Do you wish to speak about it?

Yes, it’s alright to talk about it.

It’s a long time ago when I think about it.

November 1993 – there’s been a lot of water go under the bridge for so many people after that terrible accident in Pertobe Road, Warrnambool.  

I was 18 years old and was in the front passenger seat of a Datsun 1600 when it crashed head-on into a pine tree outside the old Scout headquarters.

I went through the windscreen of the car.

There was six of us in the car my best mate Glenn Denning was driving.

Damien Smith, Kurt Main, Kate Ludeman and Kevin Boucher were also in the car which was travelling back to the centre of Warrnambool because we were going to the old Rainbow Bar in Liebig Street.

We were all going to go back down to the Lady Bay Hotel, as it was students' night.

The six of us had tickets to go to the Hoodoo Gurus concert at the Bay, but none of us made that concert.

We were all former school friends at Warrnambool Secondary College.

Glenn died after the tragic accident. Kate and Kevin received minor injuries, while the injuries to Damien and Kurt were not major.

Glenn, what injuries did you sustain in that horrible accident?

I’ve got an acquired brain injury and I smashed my right forearm.

The reason my right forearm was so badly smashed up was the result of me putting my arms up to protect my face.

I saw the tree coming at us. The bone jumped out of the skin in my right forearm.

I also got a cut from the corner of one eye brow across the bridge of my nose to the other eye lid.

The doctors told me I was very lucky that I was not blind as a result of the accident.

I would take it you would have spent a lot of time in rehabilitation. Is that right?

Yes, I was in intensive care and special care for a long time before doing more then three years of rehab.

I’ve been very lucky because I’ve had wonderful medical assistance over the journey and received great support from family and friends after the accident.

I’ve also been very lucky because I became a born-again Christian in 2000.

I had not been a religious person before.

I’ve found that has helped me relax more and I can relate to God through Jesus.

I’m studying a program that relates to suicide prevention.

I have lost a few of my mates to suicide, which is terrible.

I’m wanting to be a sports chaplain so that I can help and offer advice to anyone who needs assistance.

Do you still follow the local footy and cricket?

Nestles Cricket Club have been sensational to me.

They're a great club, I still get to some of the games.

They have been very supportive to me.

I still follow the local footy, but not as much as I did.