A victory that lights the path for others is what fills WA footy royalty Stephen Michael with the most pride.
If the 70-year-old is named the Channel 7 Sport Award recipient at the West Australian of the Year Awards tonight, it will be a pleasure he will share with all those who have inspired him throughout his life.
“This is for the young indigenous kids and non-indigenous kids. It’s there for the children, and plus the guys I played footy with who helped guide me through the years. It’s all about them,” Mr Michael told The West.
“You don’t get get anywhere on your own.”
The two-time Sandover Medallist played 243 games for South Fremantle, was a premiership player in 1980, All-Australian captain and was selected in the Indigenous Team of the Century.
Despite his accolades, which include being inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and the WA Football Hall of Fame, it’s Mr Michael’s humility and staunch belief that all people are created equal that elevates him to true legend status.
“At the end of the day, we are all human beings, we all believe in the right way, we’re united as one,” he said.
His ethos is the centrepiece of the Stephen Michael Foundation which for nine years has supported sport, education and wellbeing programs across WA’s South West, Mid West and Gascoyne and Murchison Region.
More than 5000 children across more than 40 different schools benefit from its work, which helps students with engagement, attendance and leadership.
“I’m a great believer that we should unite as one. It doesn’t matter, any kid, boy, girl, disabled kid,” he said, adding that he always felt pulled towards helping others.
“It’s just the way I am, I like to help people in any way or any fashion.”
At 70, he continues to keep himself busy. Outside of working on a bulldozer on contracts rehabilitating land following mining projects, he has seven kids, 29 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
When it comes to passing on his sporting prowess, he refuses to tell youngsters what to do and prefers to simply support from the sidelines.
“I’m a great believer that you can’t put your idea into someone else, especially your kids’ thoughts. At the end of the day, you need a stranger or coach or somebody else to encourage them. I’ll still encourage them, but I won’t tell them what to do or how to do it,” he said.
Mr Michael is one of three WA sporting icons nominated in the Channel 7 Sport Award category. He is being recognised alongside international cricketer and one of the world’s leading spin bowlers, Alana King, and two-time sailing Olympic gold medallist, Matthew Wearn.
The awards are also spotlighting incredible work like that of Tracey Cave who founded Perth’s Sister Project which supports migrant women with adjusting to life in Australia, and WA Opera’s executive director Dr Carolyn Chard, who has dedicated her life to the transformative impact of the performing arts.
Paediatric Oncologist and Clinical Director of the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre Professor Nick Gottardo is being recognised for his ground-breaking work, as is Professor Rhonda Marriott for her incredible impact on lives of Aboriginal women.
The annual West Australian of the Year awards will take place Thursday evening at Crown Perth’s ballroom where impressive West Australians will be recognised in categories categories including Aboriginal, arts and culture, business, community, professions, sport and youth.
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