By Kyra Gillespie
Pakenham resident Phillip Craig has been nominated as a finalist for the 2018 Victorian Sport Awards.
The awards recognise key individuals who contribute to the Victorian sporting community, celebrating coaches, organisers and the volunteers behind the scenes.
Mr Craig has been nominated as Community Official of the Year for Motor Sport for his tireless volunteer work in the industry with the Victorian Fire and Rescue Squad (VFRS). He has volunteered for VFRS for the past 17 years, providing fire and rescue services to motor sport competitors, support crews and officials for all the major circuit sport events in the state – including the Grand Prix, MotoGP and the Superbike World Championships.
“It was a really pleasant surprise and quite an honour really when I was told about the nomination,” Mr Craig said.
“It’s great for there to be recognition of the work that gets done by volunteers. It’s not just me, and there are lots that do more than what I do and who put in heaps of time and work for the sport.
“This award is a reflection of all those people who are involved.”
Employed at the CFA, Mr Craig has also been a volunteer firefighter for 30-odd years with most of that time spent at the Nar Nar Goon branch.
His work in the motor sport industry all started with a personal passion for the sport.
“I’ve always been interested in motor sports; back before it all started I didn’t have a lot of free time but when I did, I would attend events as a spectator.
“Then combining my work with the CFA I became a volunteer with the Victorian Fire and Rescue Squad.
“I love what I do because you get the best seat in the house for a start, and you get to make a difference and be involved with awesome people. It’s much better than being a spectator – up there you’re so far away, whereas in my role you get to be close to all the action.”
He said that much like being a CFA member, being part of the VFRS is “90 per cent boredom, 10 per cent high activity.”
“You could go weeks and nothing will happen – no rescues and no fires – which is a good thing. But if there is an incident we are there to respond,” he said.
“You have to absolutely love the sport.”
He is now the Deputy Chief Fire Marshal, which among many responsibilities involves supporting the Chief Fire Marshal and, in Mr Craig’s words, “making sure the right people are in the right place.”
Mr Craig and his team cover motor sport events state-wide.
“We attend all the super car rounds, particularly at Phillip Island and Sandown which can include state race meetings, the Shannons Nationals, historic motor sports events, the Grand Prix, the MotoGP and the Superbikes – along with any events at a club level.”
When asked how often he volunteers, he replied with a laugh, “Way too often.”
“We usually attend 25 to 30 events a year. Some are single day events and others three day to five day events.
“Very few weekends there’s not something on – some months there’s an event every single weekend.”
The work isn’t easy by any stretch; circuit speeds can reach anywhere from 300km/h and crashes at that speed are often serious and at times, fatal.
“Things are a bit safer these days; when I first started there were regular car fires but with improvements and changes in technology we have nowhere near the big fires like we used to have.
“Over the years we’ve had to confront fatalities and serious injuries, but there’s a motor sport chaplaincy service at all the major events.
“Because of my work with the CFA you get more used to dealing with stuff like that, but for other volunteers who may not have any emergency service background those services are really good. We can see some very confronting things.”
The father of three said volunteers are a vital part of motor sports events.
“Without volunteer officials there wouldn’t be a GP, it just wouldn’t happen.”
He still doesn’t know who nominated him for the Victorian Sport Awards.
“I hope I’m not deployed somewhere when the awards ceremony takes place,” he said with a laugh.
“I don’t know who nominated me but whoever it was, I am very humbled.”
The Victorian Sport Awards will be presented by the State Government of Victoria and Vicsport.
To be held at Marvel Stadium on Wednesday 20 February, the awards will be attended by all entrants, nominees, family, friends, sporting organisations and clubs to celebrate the successes of community sport in Victoria.
Last year’s awards attracted 500 attendees including many of Victoria’s premier athletes and grassroots heroes.
