Originally Published February 1 2022
GANNAWARRA Shire Council has crowned their citizen of the year for 2022, with a well-known sports historian being recognised for his devotion to preserving the district's sports history.
Ross Bateman – who has spent a large portion of his retirement researching and documenting sports history – admitted that the prestigious award came as a complete shock to him.
"It was just a shock to be nominated, then to actually receive the award when I was nominated alongside such fantastic, community people, it definitely caught me by surprise," he said.
Mr Bateman first became involved in the recording of sports history when he retired from playing Australian Rules Football and his wife said that he needed a hobby to occupy his time.
Quite the footballer in his prime, he played in 16 consecutive grand finals and has since spent time as the president of the Northern District League alongside other important roles throughout the district.
However, Mr Bateman is also involved in other aspects of the community with him a foundation member of the Cohuna Progress Association, an affiliate member of the Cohuna/Leitchville RSL sub-branch, former Cohuna Golf Bowls Club bowls secretary as well as a Cohuna Historical Society member, which is where he based himself for his research.
After a few years of doing research at home, Mr Bateman needed a bigger location for him to set himself up so on March 23, 2001 he moved base to the Cohuna Historical Society.
With plenty of bookcases documenting the history of local AFL, bowls, cricket and golf, Mr Bateman has been extremely busy over the years, however he is extremely determined to keep doing what he has been doing.
"I really enjoy doing it, I have great company here at the historical society, and I always have people drop in to have a chat to me so it is a great way to catch up with everyone," he said.
In the newspaper's short time with Mr Bateman, he would have no less than half-a-dozen people visit and pick his brain about a particular topic, with his knowledge ranging far greater than just sport.
Whilst the documentation of past knowledge was done majorly through old local newspapers, recording what was happening in today's sport is done through much more modern technology, with social media posts being printed out for Ross to document.
From time to time he will have someone approach him for information regarding a family member who had passed away and wanting to know what they may have achieved during their sporting career.
"I sometimes have people get in touch seeing if I can provide them for information regarding family members," he said.
"It is always nice to provide families with information they may not know about."
Mr Bateman received his award on Wednesday, January 19, with Mr Bateman's family present to see him crowned the citizen of the year by Mayor Charlie Gillingham at a ceremony in Kerang.
"Ross's greatest contribution to the Gannawarra has been his recording of sporting history, having spent five to seven hours per day, four to five days a week, recording for posterity what may have been lost forever," Cr Gillingham said.
