Darrell Panizza reflects on a great footy life after being awarded WA Football Commission life membership

Albany football icon Darrell Panizza has made a lasting impression on the game both in Perth and in the Great Southern, from playing in premierships to developing the next generation of young stars. He is one of two people that will receive WA football’s highest honour at Monday night’s Sandover Medal presentations. After more than 40 years of extraordinary service to football in WA, Panizza has been awarded life membership of the WA Football Commission. Panizza was inducted into the WA Football Hall of Fame in 2009 and his service to the sport he loves failed to stop there. The 64-year-old enjoyed a highly decorated playing career, highlighted by his time with Claremont in the WAFL. He made his league debut in 1979 and his speed and skill helped the Tigers break a 17-year flag drought in 1981. Panizza won three premierships with Claremont as a player and then one as coach in 1996 and is the club’s games record holder with 274 league appearances. He also played six State of Origin games for WA and had a stint with Woodville in South Australia. As a coach Panizza was at the helm of Royals in a golden era, making 12 Great Southern Football League grand finals and winning eight premierships. Panizza served on Claremont’s board for 10 years and also was instrumental in forming the Great Southern Storm Football Development Institute, where his passion to prepare young players for the move to Perth in search of their football dream has come to the fore. The WAFC life membership serves to recognise individuals who have made outstanding contributions to football. “I’m not sure how many country people have ever been given the honour of being made a life member of the WA Football Commission,” Panizza said. “So it is really humbling because at the end of the day you don’t start footy to get these awards. “So that’s why I’m very passionate about what I say about the country and you know, the kids getting the opportunity because we do struggle with being recognised and getting recognition about what actually we do in the country. “So it’s about the opportunity it started in the mere fact who knows where they’ll end up and you know, we’ve had plenty of people that have gone and played AFL footy “That was my intent from when I come home was to make sure that the kids got the same opportunity.” Panizza describes his love for the game as a “hobby” and doesn’t have any regrets despite not playing AFL. “I’ve never looked back and said anything other than I’ve had a great footy life,” he said. “I couldn’t have done any more than I did. “I’ve coached WA and I’ve won a premiership at WAFL level and played State footy… it’s been fun. “The longevity of it all and that is you’ve done it over a long period of time so you’re not one of these people that say they’re going give back and they give back for 12-18 months, two years and then they stop, so it’s about making sure that everyone coming after gets the same opportunity.” Helping develop young football talent in the Great Southern through the Storm to head to Perth is something that still motivates Panizza to this day. “The whole idea about the Storm was when they sent the blokes back that I sent to Perth and they said well, they’re a bit rough,” Panizza said. “I said they’ve got ability, you’ve got to polish them I’m only here to find them and that’s why I decided, well we’ll start the Storm. “So I rang up Joe Burton and said this is what I want to do “That’s where we started training and preseason so that they were fit, they weren’t at the back of the group and they had a chance to actually go past four weeks.” A life member of Claremont, Royals and the Great Southern Football League already, Panizza believes footy is in a good place and he has no signs of stopping his involvement after this most recent accolade. “I’ve always been driven by the fear of failure,” he said. “Maybe that might be put that to bed a little bit that maybe I did do something half-reasonable in the footy industry. “I looked at Kevin Sheedy and he lasted 28 years in his job as coach and I’m not quite there yet, so why give it away now?”