Heinze says time is right to hand over

SEFNL Chairman Kahl Heinze will step down at season’s end after two years at the helm. 144229 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By David Nagel

DIVISIONAL football in the South East Football Netball League will take three years to fully bed in, which is one of the main reasons why chairman Kahl Heinze has decided to step down at the end of the year.
As president of Narre Warren in 2014, Heinze became the key figure in the then Casey Cardinia league club’s push away from the governance of the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League (MPNFL).
As a result, Heinze became chairman of the fledging SEFNL competition last year, a role he will relinquish at the league’s AGM in December.
“I am writing to formally advise that at the AGM this year I will be formally resigning from the board of SEFNL, the chairmanship and therefore the AFL SE Commission too,” Heinze wrote in his letter of resignation.
AFL South East, the governing body of SEFNL, is currently undertaking a senior competition review with the implementation of divisional football high on the agenda.
As part of that process, clubs in the three leagues under the AFL South East banner – Nepean, Peninsula and South East – met for a club consultation session on Monday 1 August.
It was at that meeting that clubs shared their thoughts on their own circumstances and their views on divisional football.
The reluctance of some clubs to commit to that future bonding was a surprise for some – Heinze included.
“The meeting was a bit of an eye opener for me, it made me realise the challenges that lay ahead and how big the job is in getting divisional football up and running,” Heinze said.
“All of a sudden it becomes clear that we’re dealing with other leagues, with other commissions, and with that comes some frustrations.
“There will be a division two in SEFNL in 2018, I’m confident about that, but then that will take a year or two to bed in.
“If I stand again, that means I’m committed to another three-year stint and I’m not prepared to do that right now.”
Many people did not expect Heinze’s decision to step down considering his role as the pied piper in 2014.
“To some it may come as a surprise but I’ve been playing, coaching and administrating for a very long time now and it just felt like the right time to move on,” Heinze said.
“Initially I said I would commit to three years with the goal of setting things up, stabilising the league and then stepping aside with a succession plan in place.
“Those three years has turned into two, but the situation has dictated that.”
Heinze said there was no animosity between himself and the SEFNL clubs and his decision was based purely on his commitment levels to the task at hand.
“There is absolutely no bad blood at all,” Heinze replied to the question.
“This is a personal decision based on the commitment levels that are required for the job ahead, and I just can’t see myself giving 100 per cent moving forward.
“There’s no animosity, no bad blood, I’ve loved my time as chairman and I think as a whole the board has been well received by the clubs.”
Heinze said he vacate the role proud of what the fledgling league had achieved.
“Making that initial break away from the old regime and getting a new league set up was a massive undertaking, unprecedented in a lot of ways, and something I’m very proud of,” he said.
“I’m proud that people within our football and netball clubs believed in the notion and turned it into the successful competition that it is today.
“In our first year we made money, we employed staff, we’re far better resourced, and I think we’ve come a very long way in a very short space of time.
“What was a very stagnant situation has been turned around and I’m most proud that we’ve been able to achieve that.”
Heinze had a sincere message to the clubs that had supported his initial vision.
“It’s not all about me, I’m just a cog in the wheel, but I become a vocal cog in the wheel when I become passionate about something,” Heinze said.
“The SEFNL was born through all clubs being in agreeance that we needed a change and a better bang for our buck.
“Those presidents from 2014 laid the foundations, through many meetings, and we grew together and they continue to show faith.
“Two years down the track I can’t thank them enough for their support, their trust, and I think if we all put our hands on our hearts and ask ‘are things better now’, the answer would be a resounding ‘yes’.”
And what now for Heinze and his family after 15 years of being a football administrator?
“I love the strategic side of things and I’ll still be around to assist in any way possible but for me it’s just going to be great to wake up on a Saturday and think, ‘what am I going to do today?’.
“I’m looking forward to that.”