Dear Santa,
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We would like a puppy for Christmas. A bulldog puppy, actually.
He could live at the town hall so Ballarat football fans could visit him, and we could walk him on Tuesday and Thursday nights around different footy ovals so he could watch what was happening at training.
He could be in the Begonia Parade.
And when the Western Bulldogs visit town, he could be on show. Just like their real life mascot Sid, who goes to home games. Or Handsome Dan, the bulldog mascot at Yale University in the United States.
We could even name him Roughie after Jordan Roughead, the Ballarat footballer who wears 23 for Western Bulldogs in the AFL.
Because, Santa, we are becoming a Western Bulldogs town and they are going to play a NAB Cup game here and they promise to bring AFL matches here when we get our stadium upgrade.
So, a bulldog would be nice.
We would also like some nice sunny weather later in the week. Perhaps temperatures in the high-20s at least?
Tough ask for your elves probably, but you could work your Santa magic.
Bahrain’s national football team – the soccer variety – is coming to visit later in the week and staying into the New Year.
They are preparing in Ballarat for the Asian Cup, so we want them to feel warm and toasty. Right at home.
Oh, and some cowbells. Is it too much to ask for a whole range of cowbells in our Santa sack?
We promise to share.
Australia’s best ever cyclist, Cadel Evans, is coming to Buninyong for a ride in a fortnight’s time for the Cycling Australia Road National Championships as part of his farewell tour.
He was second to Simon Gerrans in an awesome sprint finish last summer and it would be nice for him to win this time.
We definitely do not want any performance-enhancing products delivered to Cadel, but lots of fans ringing cowbells could spark his inner Tour de France winning form.
We already have a new marquee netball team in our town that has been working really hard.
Ballarat Sovereigns’ debut in the Victorian Netball League is coming up soon – pre-season matches start in a couple of weeks – and we’re excited about that. You know, just in case you were thinking along the lines of netball for a present.
This year, Santa, Ballarat has been pretty good when it comes to sport. Phenomenal really. We have been a good host to national league teams such as North Melbourne (AFL), Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City (A-League), Melbourne United (NBL) and big-hitting superstar Aaron Finch in Victorian Premier Cricket.
We have had some new big events roll into town such as the IRONMAN 70.3 Ballarat, the Cycling Australia masters road cycling championships and the World Rowing Masters. These were on top of what we usually do.
Our athletes have been courageous in speaking out.
Olympic race walker Jared Tallent called for athletics’ international body to ban Russian coach Viktor Chegin for a string of his athletes with proven doping charges.
Investigations are gradually building momentum.
Sydney Swan and Australian of the Year Adam Goodes continued to speak out against racism nationally, while, closer to Ballarat, Rokewood-Corindhap footballer Aaron Clarke approached his club to actively raise indigenous awareness.
The Grasshoppers footballers and netballers wore special indigenous uniforms for the indigenous round in the Central Highlands Football League. Clarke took the positive action in response to being vilified during a match a season earlier.
We have had a few hiccups, such as the ongoing track issues at the Ballarat Turf Club before we delivered a bumper Ballarat Cup day, or the axing of our state league netball team Ballarat Pride before the town’s sporting fraternity jumped in to create a whole new outfit, or Ballarat Red Devils’ heart-breaking relegation in National Premier League. But soccer is getting bigger and there are even talks we have potential to host A-League matches.
We have plans for another big year ahead and, because we know we’ll be on your nice list, a bulldog puppy might be a nice way to start.
Hope you have a safe, merry and peaceful Christmas and the chance for a few overs of backyard cricket,
Melanie (on behalf of Ballarat).
melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au