By Tyler Lewis
This Saturday, Healesville Sporting Complex is the place to be, with the fourth Valley Vicious Rett Syndrome Awareness Cup set to take place.
And each and every year, the awareness builder grows.
That awareness is all for one major cause, Rett Syndrome, a cause admittedly Lee Lawrence – the founder of the famous Valley Vicious Facebook page – wasn’t aware of until it mattered to him most, when his daughter Gypsy was diagnosed with the illness.
“Retts is a cruel disorder that steals a child’s life, it takes everything,” he said.
“It takes their ability to speak, use their hands, it just takes everything away from them.
“In a way that’s us now, we’re the voice for them now and we have to keep doing what we’re doing for them.
“I didn’t have a clue about it. When we noticed something around one year of age, firstly it was a shock to find out what it was, we did everything to find out exactly what it is, and then how we can do whatever we can to beat it.
“We might not find a cure in Gypsy’s time, but if we’re helping other kids then it makes me feel a lot better about what we’re doing.
“The fact is that around the Valley no one knew what Rett Syndrome is and pretty much everyone that plays footy in the Valley or even the Eastern leagues, know what it is now.
“That’s a good thing, people are talking about it and throw a few dollars around to help find a cure for it,” Lawrence said.
This Saturday there will be a netball tournament featuring Seville, Yarra Junction, Yarra Glen and Broadford.
There will also be a men’s and women’s football match that will feature a plethora of former AFL stars.
There is an array of entertainment in what looms to be the biggest Rett Syndrome Cup to date.
Lawrence pinches himself each year as the support continues to grow.
“No way mate,” he said of his expectation of the event.
“It was a bit of a local footy game to be honest, with the aim to raise a little bit of money for Rett Syndrome.
“To be where we are now is just beyond my belief.
“While the crowds still come, we will still do it I guess.
“It just shows what footy clubs and stuff like that are like, when someone or something is struggling or there needs to be a cause to stand up for, everyone gets around it.
“That’s what Valley has done and that’s what all the footy clubs have done,” Lawrence said.
This year will feature several ex-AFL players pull on the Valley Vicious threads, including former Melbourne high-flyer Russell Robertson and Collingwood 200 gamer Josh Fraser.
Brodie Holland, Austin Jones and Lindsay Gilbee will also pull on the boots again.
While the event and disorder is growing in awareness, it is still the little things that impress Lawrence the most.
“It blows me away, to see ex-AFL players that I don’t know personally, I know a few of them, but there are some that I haven’t met, they’re keen to get around it,” he said.
“They’re busy people and are people that have earned a lot of money in their time, to play for nothing and it blows me away.
“One of the biggest things, and it’s only a small thing, but when I see someone in the street wearing the Valley Vicious hat, or top, something like that, and they don’t even realise who I am – that is the most satisfying thing.”
In addition to the on field spectacle, there will be sprints, a DJ, food trucks and kids amusement rides.
The gates will open from mid-day and is $10 entry for all patrons except kid’s under-16, who are welcomed free of charge.
TEAMS
Valley Vicious Men’s Blue
Leigh McComb, Ryan Demunk, Phil Cubbin, Nathan Sargent, Max Donegan, Lauchie Craig, Jayy Welch, Danny Ryan, Casey Burton, Austinn Jones, Tom Campbell, Russell Robertson, Peter Moate, Michael Collins, Luke Mccormick, Andrew Peters, Dean Smith, Dale Treller, Cambell Frazzetto, Andrew Shipp, Sean Roach, Richo Gurney, Nathan Walsh, Michael Cardamone, Wally Hoffman, Jesse Bates, Darcy Fritsch, Craig Clarke, Brodie Holland, Luke Smalluch.
Valley Vicious Men’s White
Jason Degraaf, Rhys Chapman, Nathan O’Keefe, Marcuss Hottess, Lachie Taylor, Jarrod Leather, James Iacono, Haydon Long, Daniel Hargraves, Brad Jose, Tim Baker, Paul Batchelor, Matt Johnson, Lindsay Gilbee, Jayden Leather, Andrew White, Jackson Lawrence, George Azzam, Chris Murphy, Ben Ramadge, Shawn Andueza, Paul Bailey, Mathew James, Leam Doughty, Tom Iacono, Jarrod Bayliss, Heydon Taylor, Deng Nai, Chris Johnson, Josh Fraser.
