Glenn Barndon marks 40 years of commentating for WA’s Great Northern Football League

Like many younger boys, Glenn Barndon would play games kick to kick by means of himself within the yard, commentating with the names of gamers of the life.

When he reached number one faculty, he had the very impressive process of working the scoreboard at his soccer membership in Chapman Valley, east of Geraldton in WA’s Midwest. 

Folk sitting within sight would inform him to “shut up” as he commentated the sport date it was once in motion. 

It’s refuse marvel to lots of them that he’s now marking his fortieth moment of calling native and Nation Future soccer within the Midwest for a lot of broadcasters. 

“I was just playing around out the front, kicking it [the football] to myself and using the names of the people around … then calling the game and kicking the goal,” he stated.

“It was just part of the way I grew up.”

He was once about 22 when he began calling footy at 6GE, which was once later the industrial station in Geraldton.

“We’ve had a number of stations along the way, a few commercial FM stations, and now we’re on Radio Mama, which is an Aboriginal community station and we’ve been there for about 10 or so years and really had a good time,” he stated.

“It spreads the promise of footy across the areas within the Murchison and the Gascoyne.

From the grassland to the studio

Barndon was a handy footballer himself but retired fairly young after a number of concussions. 

“I used to be a excellent moderate participant who labored in reality withered at it however I wasn’t ever committing to put together it to the upcoming degree,” he stated. 

He has called every season of the Great Northern Football League and every grand final for the past 40 years.

“I’ve been fortunate plethora to peer 3 or 4 generations of footballers play games,” he stated. 

He lists watching three generations of the Wall family at Mullewa among the great moments.

Barndon recalls fondly the opportunity to call some WAFL games in his time and a scratch match between Richmond and the Fremantle Dockers as highlights.

His experience behind the microphone calling country football turned into a full-time broadcasting career with ABC Midwest Wheatbelt in 1998, presenting local programs. 

“A bundle of my buddies and population who needed to post with me as a child rising up say, ‘Neatly, we’re no longer stunned, since you spent a bundle of life enjoying radio stations or calling the footy or calling the races’,” he stated. 

Barndon said he had learned most about the game from working alongside great players of the past, including Mick Thompson and Barry Cooper. 

“I’ve been all the time prepared to hear the superb gamers,” he stated. 

“I by no means depend myself as a professional however I depend myself as anyone who has listened and realized and discuss the best way the sport is. 

“However I’m very, very cautious to not be vital of gamers as a result of I couldn’t do it. So I’m no longer telling them how they will have to do it.

Hobby for the sport

Despite marking 40 years this year, Barndon said he had no plans to hang up the microphone just yet. 

“On the era, I’ve nonetheless were given as a lot keenness for calling the footy as I did once I began and that’s the great factor,” he stated. 

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Mukinbudin’s John Shadbolt has been a long-time member of the WA Country Football executive and is a former chairman. 

He said Barndon has been a great ambassador for country footy over the years.

“I feel his interest for the sport and for all of our nation communities has been remarkable,” he stated. 

Like Barndon, Shadbolt said the best thing about being involved in country footy was the friendships built over the years. 

“I’ve favored our friendship through the years and I feel that’s one of the vital impressive portions about about being excited about game, and particularly broadly concerned as Glenn has been, and nonetheless is, the volume of acquaintances and excellent buddies he’s remodeled that life,” he said.