Life Members

Jim’s involvement in the sport far exceeds that of many of his fellow countrymen. From grassroots touch football, all the way to the very top at international level, Jim has poured an immense amount of his life into the game we love so dearly. Beginning in Mudgee in the early 1980s, Jim’s passion for the game grew after playing for Mudgee and the Western Region (Region 2) in Men’s 30’s and 35’s at various championships and titles over the years. But it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that he found his real passion in the game… refereeing. For many years he has held various roles and assisted with the overall development, promotion and ambassadorship of touch football in Mudgee, Hornets Region, NSW and Australia. Before the regions merged, he was the Regional Director of the Western Region. He held a resilient position on the NSW Touch Association Board of Directors, as the Finance Director and has also been an inspiring member of the Hunter Western Hornets Regional Committee for several years. Jim was also a Board of Director for Touch Football Australia. Jim has life membership with Mudgee, Hornets and NSW Touch Football Associations, and in 1995 was the first recipient from Mudgee Touch to receive a Blues Award.

A knight in shining armour is how many within Mudgee Touch could describe Glen Pearce. In 1985, two years after forming, Mudgee Touch Association was on the brink of collapse. The club had no assets, minimal volunteers and a dark future. That was until Glen came to the rescue. At the time, Glen was the PCYC manager and he took over the running of the club under the PCYC banner. Glen created a committee and put in initiatives that took Mudgee Touch from obscurity to becoming one of the touch powerhouses in country NSW during the 1990s. Mudgee Touch became successful on the field by winning multiple Western Region Club Championships, country and state titles. The club was financially in a strong position and attracted more volunteers to become part of the expanding committee. Glen was not just a successful administrator he also played for Mudgee and Western Region at various representative tournaments.

Legend is a word that is liberally used but there is no other way that best describes Kathy Lang. Kathy is the backbone of Mudgee Touch. In her 25-year-plus service to Mudgee Touch, Kathy has worn many administrative hats including canteen officer, tour manager, competition co-ordinator and Sports Council representative – just to name a few. She is best known for being the club’s longest serving secretary. She regularly attends club nights even though her children are long gone from Mudgee Touch. Her involvement with Mudgee Touch has seen her being used by Hornets Touch, NSW Touch, Touch Football Australia and Federation of International Touch to help assist them with the running of their events – most notably State Cup, National Touch League and the 2015 Touch World Cup. Kathy received a Blues Award in 2011 and was named the Mid-Western Regional Council’s Sportsperson of the Year for 2012.

If you look up the word ‘clubman’ in the dictionary, Roger Lang’s picture will be front and centre. For more than 30 years, Roger has been at the forefront of Mudgee Touch whether it be as a player, coach, referee, president, medical officer, raffle seller, line marker or barbecue chef – he has done it all. Even to this day, Roger can be seen playing on club nights, coaching future Mudgee stars and taking them to the Junior State Cup. He is always willing to put his hand up and help Mudgee Touch anyway he can. His work with Mudgee Touch saw him receive a Blues Award in 2014. Roger has also had a long association with Hornets Touch. He has been their chief medical personnel for many years whether it be at Hornets Championships or the National Touch League. Roger has also coached Hornets at the National Touch League in the men’s open division in 2011 and was assistant coach for the men’s 20s in 2010 in which they finished runners-up. Roger’s wife Kathy is also a Mudgee Touch life member. Together the pair produced two of Mudgee’s top stars in Anthony and Beck Lang. Anthony played for NSW CHS and Beck represented Australia in the women under 20s.

Peter Doherty epitomises the saying “you’re never too old”. From day one, the man affectionally known as Skeeter, has been playing touch in and for Mudgee. For just as long, Skeeter has been part of the committee where he has held many positions including multiple years as Vice-President. He regularly helps out refereeing on club nights and offers a hand whenever one is required. His work with Mudgee Touch saw him receive a Blues Award in 2014. On the field, Skeeter is a formidable opponent who plays the sport competitively but fair and who is always willing to mentor the younger players. Over the years, Skeeter has represented Mudgee, Western Region, Hornets and NSW Country. Even on the other side of 60, Skeeter is still playing representative touch as he is a regular player for Newcastle 55s at Hornets, Country Championships and State Cup.

Ever wondered why Mudgee Touch is called the Mudcrabs? It might have something to do with Ben Stoddart.

“A car trip on the way to a carnival in Lithgow with Pin [Jeremy Doherty], Brendan George and myself. We use to have a grape bunch as the logo but we thought ‘mudcrabs’ had a better ring to it and it stuck. Then I came up with the crab logo.”

Ben Stoddart

Ben’s involvement with Mudgee Touch goes beyond to just coming up with the club’s original logo. At 13 he played for the Mudgee men’s open team in an inter-town competition. He has played for the Mudcrabs in men’s and mixed open divisions at various NSW Touch carnivals, represented Western Region in the under 18s when he was 15 and ran out for Hornets at the National Touch League. Ben has been heavily involved with coaching; starting in 1997 and has coached a team to every Junior State Cup since. He has also coached the Hornets under 14s and under 18s teams. Off-the-field, Ben has been instrumental in developing Mudgee Touch and making it what it is today. He joined the committee towards the end of the 20th Century and in 2001, at the age of 20, became the club’s second – and youngest to date – President after Jim Yeo stepped down. Ben has also been Vice-President and Director of Coaching. He continually volunteers his time to line-mark the fields, help out in the canteen, referee on club nights and assist with developing junior players. His work with Mudgee Touch saw him receive a Blues Award in 2013. Ben was made life member in 2013 at the age of 32.