DAVID Williams can't remember exactly how he became so heavily involved in both athletics and soccer in Dubbo but after dedicating so much time during the past 20 year to both sports he was honoured with the Service to Sport Award yesterday.
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Williams received the honour during yesterday's Australia Day awards ceremony at Victoria Park and said all his hard work was mainly down to his love of sport and the friendships he's made along the way.
"It's hard to say, you just recognise that people have got to get in and help with these clubs and associations so I just did it, you don't really think about it but I've formed so many friendships over the years and all my friends just about revolve around sport so it's been really rewarding in a lot of ways," he said.
Williams is the long-serving president of the Dubbo Athletics Club while he is also heavily involved in the Dubbo Bulls soccer club and after an emotional thank you speech he said he was shocked to receive such a prestigious accolade.
"It's hard to describe, I'm really taken aback by it all and feel quite proud," he said.
"You don't do it for these kind of rewards but when they come along it feels pretty good.
"I've been coaching (athletics) for most of the time so to see the smiles on kid's faces when they do well makes it all worthwhile for me and I think some people think my involvement in athletics is first and foremost but I've been heavily involved in soccer as well and that continues, I've still got two boys playing and the success of the Bulls last year, winning all four grand finals was great and it's been exciting in a lot of ways."
There are few sports in Dubbo going through such an exciting time as athletics.
The opening of the world-class Barden Park Centre of Excellence late last year has opened up all kinds of opportunities, with carnivals of all standards and levels now expected to be held in Dubbo.
Williams remembers a time when athletics was contested at No. 2 Oval with just a coffee urn on a trestle table but with such an outstanding track and field now, Williams is looking forward to the challenge of hosting more meetings and having more people involved in athletics.
"It's massive now and that's all happened over the last 12 months and I suppose I'm still getting used to it as well, the facility we have now, you turn up there every week and have a look and it's hard to believe," he said.
"I think it's going to get busier because there's going to be a lot more people who want to use the facility and I think that will make it busier for myself and the club."