Memorial Goalkeeper Award to honour legacy of Scott Fagerlund

The Scott Fagerlund Memorial Goalkeeper award will pay tribute to the well-known goalkeeper and cricketer who played a key role for several teams across the region, helping many reach premiership glory during his time manning the goals.

Sporting communities across the Shoalhaven, Canberra, Eurobodalla and Penrith areas, were left in shock and grief last year at the sudden passing of the athlete.

Scott was 28 when he tragically passed away as a result of a motor vehicle accident in November 2022.

"The overwhelming grief was compounded by the fact that Scott had recently become a father," his mother Cathy Russell said.

He and his wife were doting on their newborn son and settling into living in Batemans Bay. His son Bodhi was seven weeks and three days old when Scott passed away.

The community outpouring of grief was evident in the hundreds of people who attended his funeral and celebration of life service at North Nowra, and his wake at his favourite drinking hole, the Bomaderry Hotel.

Scott is remembered as an immensely talented athlete in multiple sports, including football (soccer), cricket and AFL.

His prowess as a cricket batsman/wicketkeeper saw him spend the northern hemisphere summer of 2014 as an international player for Bodedern Cricket Club in Wales.

"His talent shone through very early in football as a goalkeeper and he played in representative teams from a young age," Russell said.

Scott went on to play first grade for the Bomaderry Tigers as a 17 -year-old in 2011, where his team were competition champions and grand finalists in the Blackmore-Bolden Shield.

He was outstanding in Bomaderry FC's Australia cup campaign in 2018, where his efforts contributed greatly to the team making it into the sixth round of the elite competition.

The young goalkeeper capped off an incredible 2018 by being selected in the Shoalhaven Representative side which was victorious in the rep carnival that included representative sides from Shoalhaven, Far South Coast, Eurobodalla and Tablelands.

Throughout his relatively short senior career, Scott won two premierships- one with Bomaderry in 2017 and another with Huskisson-Vincentia in 2019.

An absolute highlight of Scott's footballing career was the 2017 penalty shootout grand final win where his performance in goals resulted in him winning the Les Bolden Man of the Match Award.

Scott was also a member of teams that were competition champions in 2011, 2012, 2018 and 2019.

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"He loved playing and loved winning, but the most important thing about football to Scott was the camaraderie and mateship that evolved from his teams, as evidenced by the many tributes that have flowed since he passed," Russell said.

Scott always looked to stay involved in the sport however he could, which extended to refereeing.

He developed into a much sought after official, refereeing the final at the Broulee Representative Carnival just two weeks before his untimely death.

Scott was a dedicated supporter of the First Nations Football tournament that is held in the Shoalhaven each November, with this event marking his last appearance as a goalkeeper in November 2022.

Such is the regard that he is held in, that the Saltwater Gatherers will be commemorating the gun goalkeeper on their playing kit and dedicating their team as a memorial team for him this year.

This year, Scott's wife Jordan and his mother Cathy (Russell) have supported the inauguration of the Scott Fagerlund Memorial Goalkeeper Award to "perpetuate his memory as one of the best goalkeepers that has ever been produced by the Shoalhaven District Football competition."

The award includes a trophy that will recognise the best male and female goalkeeper in the competition that season.

"It is hoped that Scott's passion and exceptional ability in Football, and particularly as a goalkeeper, is never forgotten, and that he inspires others to be the best that they can be."

"The most meaning it has for me is that his son Bodhi will have that knowledge of how exceptional his dad was, how revered he was, and that maybe one day he might be the winner of that trophy if he wants to play football."

"He is greatly missed and forever loved."

The inaugural winners of the award will be announced this Saturday, September 23 at the Shoalhaven Football Season Presentation.