Esperance farmer Kym “Freddy” Curnow’s courage and service to football will be honoured by the West Australian Country Football League and CBH Group when the Kym Curnow Medal is presented to the best player in the CBH Group Country Colts Division of the upcoming Landmark Country Championships.
Curnow died on November 17, 2015, while fighting fires and warning people to evacuate the fire area only a short distance from his farm in Scaddan, north of Esperance.
Kym was a successful farmer at Scaddan for more than 28 years and played football for the Gibson Football Club.
He is survived by his wife Roseanne and three children Tom, Riley and Emma.
WACFL general manager Joe Georgiades said Curnow played for more than 30 years in the Esperance District Association, including many years in carnival sides such as Wesfarmers/Landmark and Great Southern Carnivals.
“Known as “Freddy” to his family and friends he was a footballer who achieved a high degree of success, both on and off the field and will be remembered as someone who the community would flock to watch,” Mr Georgiades said.
“He was a great believer in all kinds of representative football and was fortunate enough to play in a reserves game last year with his twin boys Tom and Riley.
“The grand final award at Landmark is usually awarded to the best on ground and I think that this season selectors will be paying special attention to players showing courage in honour of what Kym stood for.
“The Kym Curnow medal will serve as a lasting reminder to the broader football community of the positive impact one person can have.”
Below is a list of Kym’s football achievements:
• Highest game player at Gibson Football Club, league 289 games, reserves 60 games
• League premiership player 89, 90, 91, 92, 02, 06
• Best on ground in 1989 grand final
• Numerous reserves premierships 2008-2015
• Gibson League fairest and best three times
• Leading goal kicker league five times (EDFA)
• Leading goal kicker reserves twice (EDFA)
• Winner of Hepburn Medal in 1993 (EDFA F&B Medal)
• Played in the Great Southern Colts winning team 1989
• Played in the winning side of the Wesfarmers “B” Division team 1990
• Played in the Landmark “C” Division winning team 2005
• Played in representative sides at both Wesfarmers/Landmark and Great Southern carnivals from 1988-2006
